agonizes
Struggles with pain
Agonizes is the third-person singular of agonize, meaning to suffer intense mental distress or to struggle painfully with a decision.
Someone who agonizes over a choice wrestles with it at length, turning possibilities over and over: She agonizes over every word in her emails.
The word implies prolonged, sometimes excessive deliberation rather than quick resolution.
Causes severe distress
- anguishesSuffers extreme distress
- suffersExperiences pain or hardship
- distressesCauses suffering or anxiety
- writhesTwists body in pain
grieves · despairs · laments · broods · frets · worries · aches · hurts
Thinks carefully before deciding
- waversFails to decide
- hesitatesShows momentary indecision
- vacillatesFluctuates between positions
- debatesFormal argumentative exchanges
wrestles · weighs · ponders · overthinks · second-guesses · dithers · waffles · mulls
torments
Causes severe distress
- anguishesSuffers extreme distress
- suffersExperiences pain or hardship
- distressesCauses suffering or anxiety
writhes · grieves · despairs · laments · broods · frets · worries · aches · hurts · struggles
deliberates
Thinks carefully before deciding
- waversFails to decide
- hesitatesShows momentary indecision
- vacillatesFluctuates between positions
debates · wrestles · weighs · ponders · overthinks · second-guesses · dithers · waffles · mulls · considers
writhes
Twists body in pain
- convulsesShakes with involuntary spasms
- suffersExperiences pain or hardship
- writhesTwists body in pain
contorts · grimaces · moans · groans · thrashes · winces · spasms · trembles · seizes · cries
agonizesrelaxes
Becomes less tense
rests easy · unwinds · chills · takes it easy · delights
agonizeswings it
Improvises without preparation
shrugs off · dismisses · ignores · disregards · brushes aside