Pronunciation: [ˈaɡənˌa͡ɪzə] (IPA) 
The word "agoniser" is a variant spelling of "agonize," which means "to suffer extreme physical or mental pain." In IPA phonetic transcription, "agonize" is pronounced /ˈæɡənaɪz/. The "g" in the spelling indicates the hard "g" sound /ɡ/, while the "i" after the "g" represents the long vowel sound /aɪ/. The suffix "-er" is added to make the verb into a noun, meaning "someone who agonizes" or "something that causes agony."
Agoniser (pronounced: ah-guh-nai-zur), is a verb that originates from the French language, derived from the word "agonie," which means agony. It refers to the act of causing oneself or another person extreme physical or psychological pain, torment, or distress. Agonising can manifest in various forms, such as intense suffering, torture, or mental anguish.
In a physical sense, agonising entails subjecting the body to severe pain by means of violent stimuli, torture, or self-inflicted harm. The aim is often to inflict extreme discomfort or agony, whether for personal reasons like seeking punishment or as a method of interrogation.
On a psychological level, agonising involves causing deep distress, torment, or mental anguish to oneself or others by means of emotional manipulation, trauma, or mental abuse. This can include intense feelings of fear, anxiety, or despair. Moreover, one can agonise over a difficult decision or be agonised by grief, whereby the emotional pain becomes overwhelming and inescapable.
While agonising is typically associated with negative intentions or outcomes, it can also be used symbolically to describe a situation or experience that fills an individual or a group with great stress, emotional turmoil, or an overwhelming sense of struggle.
The term "agoniser" is primarily used to describe intentional or extreme actions that result in significant physical or psychological suffering, and it often conveys a sense of cruelty or malice in its usage.
The word "agoniser" comes from the French language. Its etymology can be traced back to the Latin word "agonizare", which means "to struggle" or "to fight". As language evolved, "agonizare" transformed into "agoniser" in Old French, and it has retained the same meaning of intense struggle or torment.
