agonizing
/ˈæɡənaɪzɪŋ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈæɡənaɪzɪŋ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈa-gə-ˌnī-ziŋ/ (ame, mw)
agonizing — adjective
- agonizingpositive
- more agonizingcomparative
- most agonizingsuperlative
1. causing such strong physical hurt or emotional suffering that it is very hard to
causing such strong physical hurt or emotional suffering that it is very hard to bear.
Samir let out a cry when the nurse cleaned the agonizing burn.
agonizing + injury noun
Walking on the broken ankle was agonizing for Brooke all weekend.
be agonizing for + person
Reading Zola's last letter was agonizing after the funeral.
The dentist said the pressure might feel agonizing for a few seconds.
Packing Christopher's room felt agonizing after he moved overseas.
- painful
more everyday and usually less intense than agonizing
- excruciating
even stronger and most often used for severe physical pain
- harrowing
mainly about deeply upsetting emotional experiences rather than body pain
文法句型
agonizing + injury/pain
be agonizing
an agonizing memory/loss
用法筆記
Often describes injuries, medical treatment, losses, and memories that cause very severe pain. Distinguish from sense 2, which is usually about anxious waiting or uncertainty rather than pain itself.
2. making you feel extremely worried and tense because you must wait or do not know
making you feel extremely worried and tense because you must wait or do not know what will happen.
Hoa sat through an agonizing hour outside the surgery room.
agonizing + time period
The class faced an agonizing silence before the exam scores appeared.
agonizing + silence
For Talia, the agonizing wait for Joon's text lasted all night.
It was agonizing not knowing whether Cyrus had caught the last train.
Each unanswered call made the storm delay more agonizing for Otis.
- nerve-racking
more informal and strongly linked to tense waiting or pressure
- stressful
broader and less intense than agonizing
- torturous
very strong and often used for a wait that feels painfully long
- reassuring
makes you feel less worried about what may happen
- calming
reduces tension instead of increasing it
文法句型
an agonizing wait/delay
be agonizing
it is agonizing + not knowing/whether-clause
用法筆記
Usually appears with wait, delay, silence, uncertainty, or not knowing what will happen. Distinguish from sense 1, where the suffering comes from direct physical or emotional pain rather than suspense.