different between agony vs agonize

English

Etymology

14th century, via Old French [Term?] and Latin [Term?]; from Ancient Greek ?????? (ag?nía, “emulation, competition, struggle”), from ???? (ag?n, “contest”). Specifically of the struggle that precedes death (mortal agony) from the 1540s.

The sense of "extreme pain" from c. 1600.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /?æ.??.ni?/

Noun

agony (countable and uncountable, plural agonies)

1. Extreme pain.
2. (biblical) The sufferings of Jesus Christ in the garden of Gethsemane.
3. Violent contest or striving.
   • 1849, Thomas Macaulay, The History of England from the Accession of James II, Chapter 10

     The world is convulsed by the agonies of great nations.

4. Paroxysm of joy; keen emotion.
5. The last struggle of life; death struggle.

Synonyms

• anguish, torment, throe, distress, pang, suffering
• See also Thesaurus:agony

Antonyms

• (extreme pain): ecstasy

Related terms

• agon
• agonal
• agonist, antagonist, protagonist
• agonistes
• agonize, agonise

Translations

Anagrams

• Goyan

English

Alternative forms

• agonise

Etymology

From French agoniser, from Late Latin agonizare, from Ancient Greek ?????????? (ag?nízomai, “to fight, contend”). See agony.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /?æ.??n.a?z/

Verb

agonize (third-person singular simple present agonizes, present participle agonizing, simple past and past participle agonized)

1. (intransitive) To writhe with agony; to suffer violent anguish.
2. (intransitive) To struggle; to wrestle; to strive desperately, whether mentally or physically.
   • 1898, J. Meade Falkner, Moonfleet, chapter 3:

     So I took a last stare round, agonizing to see if there was any way of escape; but the stone walls and roof were solid enough to crush me, and the stack of casks too closely packed to hide more than a rat.

Related terms

• agon, agony
• agonization
• deagonize

Translations

Portuguese

Verb

agonize

1. first-person singular (eu) present subjunctive of agonizar
2. third-person singular (ele and ela, also used with você and others) present subjunctive of agonizar
3. third-person singular (você) affirmative imperative of agonizar
4. third-person singular (você) negative imperative of agonizar