agonizing

It is thus that a wounded man trembles instinctively at the approach of the finger to his wound until it be healed, but Villefort’s was one of those that never close, or if they do, only close to reopen more agonizing than ever.

It is a wretched, damp, nay, even horrible spot, more especially when we consider the agonizing conferences which have taken place between those iron bars.

By choosing the comforting predictability of household chores, I was effectively shielding myself from the agonizing fear of failure.

As their crops withered and their livelihoods vanished beneath the drifting dunes, countless families faced an agonizing decision regarding their future.