agonizing

UK: /ˈægənaɪzɪŋ/ US: (ag′ə nī′zing)

From the verb agonize: (⇒ conjugate)

agonizing is: ⓘ

v pres p (US & UK)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ag•o•niz•ing  (ag′ə nī′zing), adj. 

1. accompanied by, filled with, or resulting in agony or distress:
   We spent an agonizing hour waiting to hear if the accident had been serious or not.

• agonize + -ing² 1660–70

ag′o•niz′ing•ly, adv. 

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

ag•o•nize /ˈægəˌnaɪz/   v. [~ + over + object] , -nized, -niz•ing. 

1. to suffer great pain, anguish, or anxiety, as by thinking about something continuously:
   They agonized every night over their decision.

ag•o•nized, adj.: 

agonized cries of pain.

ag•o•niz•ing, adj.: 

an agonizing decision.

ag•o•niz•ing•ly, adv. See -agon-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ag•o•nize  (ag′ə nīz′), v., -nized, -niz•ing. 
v.i. 

1. to suffer extreme pain or anguish;
   be in agony.
2. to put forth great effort of any kind.

v.t. 

3. to distress with extreme pain;
   torture.

Also,[esp. Brit.,] ag′o•nise′. 

• Greek agōnízesthai to struggle (for a prize), equivalent. to agōn- agon + -izesthai -ize
• Medieval Latin agōnizāre
• 1575–85

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

agonize, agonise / ˈæɡəˌnaɪz/ verb

1. to suffer or cause to suffer agony
2. (intransitive) to make a desperate effort; struggle; strive

Etymology: 16th Century: via Medieval Latin from Greek agōnizesthai to contend for a prize, from agōn agon

ˈagoˌnizingly, ˈagoˌnisingly adverb