agony

English

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἀγωνία (agonia, “emulation, competition, struggle”), from ἀγών (agon, “contest”).

Pronunciation

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• (US) IPA: /ˈæɡəniː/

Noun

agony (plural agonies)

1. Violent contest or striving.

   The world is convulsed by the agonies of great nations. —Thomas Babington Macaulay.

2. Pain so extreme as to cause writhing or contortions of the body, similar to those made in the athletic contests in Greece; and hence, extreme pain of mind or body; anguish; paroxysm of grief; specifically, the sufferings of Christ in the garden of Gethsemane.

   Being in an agony he prayed more earnestly. —Luke xxii. 44.

3. Paroxysm of joy; keen emotion.

   With cries and agonies of wild delight. —Alexander Pope.

4. The last struggle of life; death struggle.

Synonyms

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

Antonyms

• (extreme pain): ecstasy

Related terms

• agon
• agonist, antagonist, protagonist
• agonistes

Translations

violent contest or striving

• Chinese: 痛苦 (tòngkǔ)
• Finnish: kamppailu (fi), taistelu (fi), taistelu (fi)
• French: agonie (fr) f
• Icelandic: kvöl (is) n, þjáning (is) f
• Italian: agonia (it) f

• Portuguese: agonia (pt) f
• Romanian: agonie (ro) f
• Russian: агония (ru) (agónija) f
• Spanish: agonía (es) f

extreme pain of mind or body

• Bulgarian: мъки (bg) (mǎki), гърчене (bg) (gǎrčene), агония (bg) (agonija)
• Chinese: 痛苦 (tòngkǔ)
• Dutch: ondraaglijke pijn (nl)
• Finnish: tuska (fi)
• German: Agonie (de) f, Qual (de) f, Pein (de) f
• Icelandic: kvöl (is) n, þjáning (is) f
• Italian: dolore (it) f (pain), angoscia (it) f (of mind)
• Kurdish:

  Sorani: ژان (ku) (jan)

• Manx: aaghaer (gv) m, angaaish (gv) m, ard-phian (gv) m
• Portuguese: agonia (pt) f
• Romanian: agonie (ro) f, suferință (ro) f
• Russian: страдание (ru) (stradánie) n
• Spanish: agonía (es) f, angustia (es) f
• Swedish: kval (sv) n, vånda (sv) c

paroxysm of joy

• Finnish: huuma (fi)
• German: Freudenausbruch (de) m

• Italian: parossismo (it) m
• Russian: выплеск эмоций (ru) (výplesk emótsij) m (colloq.)

last struggle of life

• Bulgarian: агония (bg) (agonija)
• Dutch: doodsstrijd (nl) m, agonie (nl) f
• Finnish: kuolinkamppailu (fi), agonia (fi)
• Georgian: აგონია (ka) (agonia)
• German: Agonie (de) f
• Italian: agonia (it) f

• Portuguese: agonia (pt) f
• Romanian: agonie (ro) f
• Russian: агония (ru) (agónija) f
• Spanish: agonía (es) f
• Swedish: dödskamp (sv) c

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

Translations to be checked

• Telugu: బాధ (te) (baadha)