Agonise is a verb meaning to express or experience great mental pain or worry, often by worrying excessively or debating moral questions; in British usage it can also mean to cause someone to suffer or to lament. The action conveys intense internal conflict or distress about a situation, usually involving moral or emotional stakes. It is commonly used in contexts of intense deliberation or distress, sometimes with a formal or literary tone.
- You’ll often mispronounce the middle syllable: keep the /ə/ as a true schwa; don’t turn it into /æ/ or /ɪ/. Practise saying AG-ə-nize, not AG-ə-NYZE. - The final /z/ can be devoiced or mistimed; ensure your vocal cords vibrate for a voiced /z/. Try saying “nize” with full voice and avoid a hissy /s/. - The first syllable should have a crisp /æ/; don’t reduce it toward /ə/ or /ɑ/. Keep a strong onset and stress on the first syllable. Practice: over-articulate then smooth.
- US: /ˈæɡənaɪz/ with rhotic influence minimal in this word; vowel clarity on /æ/ and /aɪ/ matters. - UK: keep /æ/ and /ə/ distinct and maintain non-rhoticity; final /z/ slightly softer. - AU: similar to UK but with broader vowel quality; may have slightly longer /ɪ/ or /ə/ depending on speaker. IPA reminders: US /ˈæɡəˌnaɪz/ or /ˈæɡənˌaɪz/ depending on pace; UK /ˈæɡən[a]ɪz/. - Focus on keeping the middle /ə/ central and the /ɡ/ released before it. - Use a short, clear release before the /ə/ to avoid clustering.
"She began to agonise over the decision, weighing every possible outcome for days."
"The committee agonised about how to allocate the funds fairly."
"He agonises when confronted with ethical dilemmas that challenge his beliefs."
"They agonise over the best path forward, torn between immediate relief and long-term consequences."
Agonise derives from the Greek word agonizo, meaning to contend in a struggle or contest, related to agon (contest, struggle) and agonizein (to contend, to struggle). In English, it entered through French influence during the 16th–17th centuries, aligning with the verb agoniser in French. The core sense developed around internal struggle or external torment, often linked to moral or emotional conflict. The British English form agonise and the American English agonize share the same root but diverge in spelling and pronunciation. First known uses appear in early modern English writings where authors described characters who agonised over critical decisions or moral questions, evolving into contemporary usage that emphasizes psychological distress or prolonged contemplation, frequently in formal or literary contexts.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Agonise" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Agonise" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Agonise"
-ise sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as /ˈæɡənaɪz/. The first syllable is stressed: /ˈæɡ/. The middle is a schwa /ə/, and the final is /naɪz/ as in “lies.” Make sure the /ɡ/ is a clear hard stop before the /ə/. Try saying “AG-uh-nize,” with emphasis on the first syllable. In IPA: US/UK/AU all share /ˈæɡənaɪz/.
Common errors: 1) Reducing the middle /ə/ to a clear vowel like /ɪ/ or /ɛ/, you should keep the schwa /ə/. 2) Misplacing the /ɡ/ or making it a glottal stop: ensure a full /ɡ/ release before /ə/. 3) Slurring the final /z/ into /s/ or /dʒ/; keep a voiced /z/ sound. Practice with spacing: AG-uh-nize, then AG-uh-NYZE with clear /z/.
Across accents, the initial /æ/ remains common in US and UK; UK and AU may have slightly tenser vowel quality in /æ/. The final /z/ is voiced in most accents; in some Scottish or Irish-influenced speech you might hear a softer /z/ or almost /s/ but standard is /z/. Rhotic differences don't affect this word since it ends in z, but vowel quality in the middle can shift subtly with non-rhotic accents where the following r-less syllables influence preceding vowel length.
The difficulty comes from the central schwa /ə/ in the second syllable and the final diphthong /aɪ/ followed by a voiced fricative /z/. Getting the /ə/ right requires relaxing the jaw, then transitioning to the high-front vowel in /aɪ/. Keep the /g/ clearly released before the /ə/ and avoid blending /naɪ/ into /naɪz/ too early. Practice the three-syllable rhythm to keep steady stress on the first syllable: AG-uh-nyze.
No silent letters in standard pronunciations. Every letter corresponds to a pronounced sound: A-gon-ise has explicit sounds /æ ɡ ə n aɪ z/. The title capitalization and spelling hint at British usage, but pronounce every segment clearly. Watch for the /ɡ/ release and avoid muting the /ɡ/ or the final /z/.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "Agonise"!
- Shadowing: listen to native reads and repeat exactly, aiming for 3-5 second chunks, focusing on /ˈæɡənaɪz/. - Minimal pairs: agonise vs agonize (UK vs US spelling; practice /ˈæɡən(aɪz)/ vs /ˈæɡənaɪz/). - Rhythm: practice 3-syllable pattern AG-ə-nize; gradually speed to natural pace without losing clarity. - Stress practice: primary stress on the first syllable; try variations to feel natural in connected speech. - Recording: record yourself; compare to reference. - Context sentences: rehearse two sentences with appropriate intonation. - Tongue-twister drill: “Agonise over and over, agonise about outcomes, agonise about ethics.” - Use a mirror to monitor jaw and lip position.
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