agony
n. C / Un. extreme physical or mental pain. You use this word when the suffering is much worse than just being uncomfortable.
n. extreme physical or mental suffering. Often used to describe the final stages of a difficult process or a severe injury.
He lay on the ground in agony after falling.
Waiting for the test results was pure agony for the family, as every minute felt like an hour.
The protagonist's internal agony is mirrored by the desolate landscape, suggesting that his psychological torment has completely colored his perception of the physical world.
14th century, via Old French and Latin from Ancient Greek ἀγωνία (agōnía, “emulation, competition, struggle”), from ἀγών (agṓn, “contest”). Specifically of the struggle that precedes death (mortal agony) from the 1540s. The sense of "extreme pain" from c. 1600.
Uncountable when referring to the state of suffering; countable when referring to specific instances or 'the agonies of' something.