agonizingly
agonizingly — adverb
1. with intense physical or mental suffering
with intense physical or mental suffering
After twisting her ankle on the gravel, Rania limped agonizingly slowly toward the school gate.
adverb modifying another adverb (agonizingly slowly)
Wei waited agonizingly for the doctor's call, pacing the living room in tight circles.
Descending the steep mountain path, each step felt agonizingly painful to the blistered hikers.
Tariq cried out agonizingly as the doctor reset his broken finger in the emergency room.
- painfully
more common and slightly less intense; covers both physical and emotional contexts
- excruciatingly
suggests an almost unbearable level of pain, stronger than agonizingly
- torturously
less common; implies deliberately inflicted suffering
文法句型
verb + agonizingly
verb + agonizingly + adverb
用法筆記
Frequently pairs with verbs and adverbs that describe slow movement, waiting, or bodily suffering — for example, limp, crawl, wait, ache, and slowly.
常見錯誤
2. to a very great degree, especially when the result is frustrating, irritating, o
to a very great degree, especially when the result is frustrating, irritating, or emotionally hard to endure
The keynote speech was agonizingly long, and several people in the audience quietly slipped out.
degree adverb + adjective (agonizingly long)
Fatima found the customs process agonizingly slow after her fourteen-hour flight from Seoul.
Diego's laptop ran an agonizingly detailed virus scan that took nearly three hours to finish.
Elena sat through an agonizingly tedious budget meeting that lasted three hours.
- painfully
more common and broader; can modify both negative and neutral adjectives
- excruciatingly
stronger; suggests something is almost unbearable rather than merely frustrating
- dreadfully
more informal; often used in British English for mild emphasis
- pleasantly
the opposite emotional impact, used with positive adjectives (pleasantly surprising)
- refreshingly
describes a welcome contrast, often with positive adjectives
文法句型
agonizingly + adjective
agonizingly + adverb
用法筆記
Almost always modifies an adjective or adverb that names a negative quality (slow, long, dull, familiar, clear, detailed). Does not pair with positive adjectives.
常見錯誤
agonizingly — adjective
- agonizinglypositive
- more agonizinglycomparative
- most agonizinglysuperlative
1. describes something that produces an unbearable level of pain, distress, or emot
describes something that produces an unbearable level of pain, distress, or emotional suffering
The García family faced an agonizing decision about leaving their home after the earthquake.
adjective before noun (agonizing decision)
An agonizing cry came from the ward, and the nurses hurried toward the sound.
After an agonizing two-hour wait, the surgeon finally came out to speak with the family.
Saira described the agonizing loneliness she felt during her first year in a foreign country.
- excruciating
stronger; suggests pain that is almost impossible to bear
- harrowing
focuses on the emotional distress and lasting psychological effect
- torturous
implies deliberate or prolonged suffering
- painless
involves no suffering at all; opposite in intensity
文法句型
agonizing + noun
be/feel/seem + agonizing
用法筆記
Commonly describes decisions, waits, choices, silences, and sounds that involve great emotional or physical distress. This is the adjective form — do not add -ly in predicative position.