Agonising

to suffer extreme pain or anguish; be in .
to put forth great effort of any kind.
to distress with extreme pain; torture.
contemporary examples

the sign says that it produced “extreme emaciation and a slow, agonising death.”
my visit to h-ll christopher buckley january 29, 2009

historical examples

to the castaways every hour of that night is one of fear and agonising suspense.
the land of fire mayne reid

his desire of life tormented him in a paroxysm of agonising remorse.
almayer’s folly joseph conrad

ellen awaited his reply in a state of the most agonising suspense.
the mysteries of london, v. 1/4 george w. m. reynolds

it must be agonising to you, and there would be dishonour as well as pain to me, in witnessing that agony.
deerbrook harriet martineau

after holding the shrunken hand for a moment he was convulsed with an agonising sob, and had to turn away.
new grub street george gissing

for this imperious voice is agonising for something and the drum is the beat of its heart.
margarita’s soul ingraham lovell

then, rightly judging that it would be better to comply than keep me in a state of agonising suspense, she read it.
a veldt vendetta bertram mitford

latterly the wound had festered, and gave him agonising pain.
the lively poll r.m. ballantyne

in this agonising situation a horseman was seen approaching from the opposite side of the road.
the day of wrath maurus jkai

verb
to suffer or cause to suffer agony
(intransitive) to make a desperate effort; struggle; strive
v.

1580s, “to torture,” from middle french agoniser or directly from medieval latin agonizare, from greek agonizesthai “to contend in the struggle” (see agony). intransitive sense of “to suffer physical pain” is recorded from 1660s. that of “to worry intensely” is from 1853. related: agonized; agonizing.