Agony is extreme physical or mental pain or torment. It denotes a heightened level of suffering, often ongoing or acutely intense, and can refer to both bodily discomfort and emotional distress in varying contexts. The word emphasizes severity rather than mere discomfort, marking a peak experience of hurt or distress.
"The patient cried out in agony as the surgeon began the operation."
"She stood in the rain, in agony over the decision she had made."
"The news left him in a cold, aching agony that lasted for hours."
"He described the break-up as emotional agony that he couldn't escape."
Agony comes from the Latin word agonus, meaning contest or struggle, which itself traces to the Greek agōn, meaning a fight, contest, or struggle, often in athletic or legal contexts. In Classical Greek, agôn referred to a gathering where competitors would strive or contend, with winners receiving honor. The figurative sense of extreme mental or physical pain emerged in English via Old French agonie, and then Middle English, around the 13th century, retaining the core sense of intense contest or extreme suffering. Over time, agony narrowed in usage to denote acute or extreme pain, both physical and emotional, rather than generalized hardship. The word’s journey reflects a shift from battlefield and competitive connotations to personal, internalized distress, a trajectory common in loanwords that move from public performance to private experience. First known uses in English literature appear in medieval or early modern texts discussing suffering, warfare, or moral struggle, before becoming a standard term in medical, literary, and everyday language to express severe pain or distress. Today, agony remains a precise descriptor of peak suffering, often emphasizing intensity, duration, and the inescapable nature of the experience for the individual.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Agony" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Agony"
-ney sounds
-ony sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronunciation: /ˈæɡəni/ in US, UK, and AU. The first syllable is stressed: /ˈæɡ-ə-ni/. Start with the short a as in cat, then a light schwa in the second syllable, and a final syllable with a clear 'ee' as in 'knee' though briefly reduced. Tip: keep the middle /ə/ neutral and lift the tongue for the final /iː/ sound. Listen to native pronunciation to feel the flow, then practice in slow, regular rhythm.
Common mistakes include over-emphasizing the second syllable with a full vowel (making /æɡoʊni/) or flattening the final /i/ into a short /ɪ/. Another error is misplacing the stress, saying /ˈæɡəni/ with even stress or shifting to /ˌæɡəˈni/. Correct approach: maintain primary stress on the first syllable, use a neutral schwa in the middle, and finish with a clear, light /i/ as in 'knee' without turning it into /iː/ or /ɪ/.
Across accents, the initial /æ/ remains common in US/UK/AU. The rhoticity affects the second syllable: UK non-rhotic varieties may subtly drop post-vocalic R, but /ɡə/ still present; US and AU typically maintain a light /ɡə/ with a schwa. The final /i/ is often a short /i/ or near-close front vowel; in some UK speech, it can be slightly reduced. Overall, stress remains on the first syllable in all three. Listen to regional dictionaries for exact vowel color.
The challenge lies in the quick, subtle middle syllable /ə/ that blends with the surrounding consonants, and the need for a crisp, final /i/ vowel that doesn’t drift into /ɪ/ or /iː/. Also, the initial /æ/ must be short and tense, not a lax /a/. Pairing the sequences in a natural rhythm—'æɡ-ə-ni'—requires precise tongue relaxation and jaw positioning to avoid confusion with similar words like 'agency' or 'agony' in other languages. Focus on the neutral middle and the final light vowel.
Because agony ends with a light final /i/ rather than a long vowel, many learners mispronounce it as /ˈæɡoʊni/ or /ˈæɡəniː/. The distinct feature is the short, unstressed middle /ə/ and the quick glide into the final /ni/. Practicing with minimal pairs like 'agony' vs 'agency' helps; ensure the second syllable remains a schwa and the last syllable stays short. Use a mirror to monitor lip relaxation around the mid-syllable.
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