agonia

agony; death throes

noun ah-goh-NEE-ah Rare

Origin: From Greek 'agonia' (struggle, contest), via Latin.

Usage Note

Agonia primarily refers to the final struggle before death (essere in agonia — 'to be in one's death throes') and, by extension, extreme mental or physical anguish. It is a false friend: English 'agony' usually means intense pain without the mortal connotation, while Italian agonia strongly implies dying. For general intense pain, dolore atroce or tormento are safer choices.

Examples

"Il paziente è rimasto in agonia per ore."

Natural Translation

The patient remained in agony for hours.

Free starter pack

Building your Italian vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common Italian words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore Italian by topic

ItalianNow

Ti Amo vs Ti Voglio Bene: I Love You in Italian

Ti amo is romantic love; ti voglio bene is tender affection for family and close friends. Here's exactly who to say each phrase to in Italian.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Dialects vs Standard Italian: A Guide

Standard Italian works everywhere, so relax: this three-layer guide to Italian dialects vs standard Italian shows what to ignore and what to notice.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Restaurant Etiquette: Mistakes to Avoid

Skip the cappuccino after dinner, never put parmesan on fish, and learn the exact Italian phrases to order gracefully and avoid looking like a tourist.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

Avere Fame: Why Italians "Have" Hunger, Not "Are"

In Italian you say Ho fame (I have hunger), never sono fame. Learn the avere + noun rule for fame, freddo, paura, age, and the sono caldo trap to avoid.

June 5, 2026 5 min read