agony with

USAGE SUMMARY

The part of the sentence 'agony with' is not correct and usable in written English.
To use the word 'agony' in a sentence, you would use the phrase 'in agony'. For example, "She lay in agony on the floor."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

43 human-written examples

It is suffering distilled, and its practitioners embrace the agony with an almost religious ardor.

The New York Times - Magazine

"I think most women have been through some sort of agony with this stuff.

The Guardian - Film

He described the room as "an immense hall of agony", with people moaning everywhere.

The Guardian

Great for meeting the neighbours, these steep alleyways are agony with shopping bags.

The Guardian - Travel

Playing against 14 men, Quins piled on the agony with the last move of the first half.

The Guardian - Sport

Men such as Ronald carried into such places were released from their screaming agony with massive shots of morphia.

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

16 human-written examples

In Chapagaun, the close community suffers fresh agonies with each new tectonic twitch.

The Guardian

Unlike other dramatic sopranos who punctuate their agonies with sobs, screams and maniacal laughter, Ms. Dalayman lets tragedy do its work without overlays of gothic melodrama.

The New York Times - Arts

Wrote about her Island and its diaspora, their beauty and agonies with a clarity and sympathy I've never seen matched.

The New Yorker

Filling "What About Me" with soul-grinding encounters and galling trials, Amodeo nonetheless exalts Lisa's agonies with tender, transcendent passion.

The New Yorker

Now, the frustrating thing about the current relive technology is that you can't be an actor in the scene, only an observer, like Scrooge reliving his boarding-school agonies with the Ghost of Christmas Past at his elbow, so whatever howlers your adolescent self might have uttered are right there, hanging in the air, unedited.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Instead of using "agony with", specify the cause of the agony. For example, instead of "agony with back pain" say "in agony due to back pain".

Common error

Do not use the phrase "agony with" as it is grammatically incorrect. Instead, use "in agony" or rephrase the sentence to use alternatives like "suffering intensely" or "tormented by".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "agony with" is most often used to describe the state of being in extreme pain or suffering. However, Ludwig AI indicates this phrase is grammatically incorrect. The correct and more common way to express this is "in agony".

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

64%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "agony with" is used to describe a state of intense suffering. Despite its common usage across various online sources, Ludwig AI identifies this phrase as grammatically incorrect, advising users to prefer "in agony" instead. While "agony with" appears frequently in news and media contexts, it's less suitable for formal writing. For clarity and grammatical correctness, "in agony" remains the recommended choice. Exploring alternatives such as "suffering intensely" can also provide richer and more accurate descriptions of intense pain.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in agony

This is the standard and grammatically correct way to express the state of experiencing intense pain.

suffering intensely

This phrase focuses on the act of enduring severe pain, whether physical or emotional.

writhing in pain

This describes the physical manifestation of extreme discomfort through involuntary movements.

experiencing severe pain

This is a more clinical and formal way to describe the sensation of intense discomfort.

in great distress

This highlights the emotional torment and suffering someone is undergoing.

tormented by

This emphasizes the source or cause of the intense suffering.

grappling with intense pain

This suggests a struggle to manage or cope with severe discomfort.

enduring extreme suffering

This focuses on the prolonged and difficult nature of the painful experience.

battling immense pain

This depicts the situation as a conflict against a powerful force of discomfort.

beset by pain

This evokes the feeling of being surrounded and overwhelmed by painful sensations.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say someone is experiencing intense pain?

The correct way is to say someone is "in agony". For example, "She was "in agony" after the fall".

Is it grammatically correct to say someone is in "agony with" something?

No, it is grammatically incorrect. The correct phrasing is "in agony" or to rephrase using a prepositional phrase like "suffering from" or ""tormented by"".

What are some alternatives to "agony with"?

Instead of "agony with", you can use phrases like ""in agony"", ""suffering intensely"", or describe the cause of the agony directly (e.g., "tormented by pain").

Why is "agony with" considered incorrect?

The phrase "agony with" does not follow standard English grammar rules for expressing a state of being. "Agony" is a noun, and the correct preposition to use when describing being in a state of agony is "in", not "with". Using "with" in this context is non-idiomatic and generally considered incorrect.