Agony vs Suffering

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Agony

Top 3,000 (common)

Suffering

Top 1,000 (very common) B2 noun

Most common: Suffering

	Agony	Suffering
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //ˈæɡəni// 🇺🇸 //ˈæɡəni//	🇬🇧 /["/ˈsʌfərɪŋ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈsʌfərɪŋ/"]/
Meaning	Very severe pain or suffering.	The experience of pain or distress.
Example	He screamed in agony after breaking his leg.	Death finally brought an end to her suffering.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 3,000 (common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	-	B2
Part of speech		noun
Collocations	in agony, agony of defeat, silent agony, emotional agony, physical agony	enormous, great, immense, amount, degree, level, cause (somebody), inflict, increase, pain and suffering, enormous, great, immense, amount, degree, level, cause (somebody), inflict, increase, pain and suffering
Antonyms	comfort, ease, relief	comfort, relief, well-being
Common mistakes	Confusing 'agony' with 'anguish' - while similar, 'anguish' often refers to emotional suffering., Using 'agony' for minor discomfort - it's reserved for significant pain., Mixing up 'agony' with 'gloom' - 'gloom' refers to sadness, not pain.	Using 'suffering' as a verb instead of 'suffer'., Confusing 'suffering' with 'sufferings' (the latter is usually used in a different context).
Usage notes	Used in both formal and informal contexts, often to describe extreme physical or emotional pain. Avoid in casual conversation unless discussing intense feelings.	Used in both formal and informal contexts. It can describe physical or emotional pain. Be careful not to confuse it with 'suffer', which is the verb form.

See it in real clips

He's in agony. I'm waking him up.

Agony

Better Call Saul › S1 E1

When she gets out of the car, you're suffering Saint Sebastian, right?

Breaking Bad › S1 E6

and another fifteen for my partner's pain and suffering.

Better Call Saul › S1 E1

When she gets out of the car, you're suffering Saint Sebastian, right?

Breaking Bad › S1 E6

and another fifteen for my partner's pain and suffering.

Suffering

Frequently asked questions: Agony vs Suffering

What's the difference between Agony and Suffering?

Agony: Very severe pain or suffering. Suffering: The experience of pain or distress.

Which is more common: Agony and Suffering?

Suffering is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Agony: He screamed in agony after breaking his leg. Suffering: Death finally brought an end to her suffering.

Can I use Agony and Suffering interchangeably?

Not always. Agony and Suffering are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.