agonize over/aboutsomething
phrasal verbwithagonizeverb(UKusuallyagonise)uk/ˈæɡ.ə.naɪz/us/ˈæɡ.ə.naɪz/
If you agonize over/about something, youspendtimeworryingandtryingto make adecisionabout it:
Sheagonizedfordaysabout whether she should take thejob.
to think carefully about something
- considerDon't make any decisions before you've considered the matter.
- contemplateHe lay in a hospital bed contemplating his future.
- ponderShe sat back for a minute to ponder her next move in the game.
- mull overI need a few days to mull things over before I decide.
- reflectI spent a lot of time reflecting on what he'd said.
- agonizeShe agonized for days before agreeing to take the job.
Thinking and contemplating
- a brown studyidiom
- agonize
- beard-stroking
- bethink
- chew
- consideration
- dip
- harbour
- introspect
- introspection
- joined-up thinking
- lateral thinking
- let me see/let's seeidiom
- reflection
- run throughsomeone'smind/headidiom
- scratch
- scratchyourheadidiom
- self-contemplation
- self-reflection
- soul-searching