Quick Definition
ἀγωνίζομαι v. I strive, contend
Strong's Definition
from 73; to struggle, literally (to compete for a prize), figuratively (to contend with an adversary), or genitive case (to endeavor to accomplish something)
KJV Usage: fight, labor fervently, strive
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | ἀνταγωνίζομαι · ἀγών · ἀγωνία · ἐπαγωνίζομαι · καταγωνίζομαι · συναγωνίζομαι
39.29 · Hostility, Strife · Strife, Struggle
to struggle, to fight to engage in intense struggle, involving physical or nonphysical force against strong opposition In a number of languages a marked distinction is made between physical fighting and nonphysical contending with someone. It is therefore often impossible to carry over any terminology involving war or physical struggling to contexts in which one is speaking of interpersonal hostility or contention.
50.1 · Contests and Play
to compete, to struggle to compete in an athletic contest, with emphasis on effort
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἀγωνίζομαι agōnizomai 8x
to be a combatant in the public games; to contend, fight, strive earnestly
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ἀγωνίζομαι
(< ἀγών), [in LXX: Da TH 6:14 (שׂוּם בָּל), Si 4:28, I, II, IV Mac5*;]
to contend for a prize: I Co 9:25,
to fight, struggle, strive: Jo 18:36; metaph. (MM, VGT, s.v.). Col 1:29 4:12, I Ti 4:10 6:12, II Ti 4:7; c. inf. (Field, Notes, 66), Lk 13:24 (Cremer, 609).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἀγωνίζομαι is very common in the inscriptions, 6. σ. Sy// 213°% (ii/B.C.) ἀγωνιζόμενος ὑπὲρ τῆς κοινῆς σωτηρίας, where the reference is to warfare. So 26. 163}8 (B.c. 318-7) πρ]οείλετο τελευτῆσαι ὑπὸ τῶν ἐναντίων aylwvitdpevlos ὑπὲρ τῆς δημοκρατίας : 7%. 1997 (iti/B.c.) and 198!9 (B.c. 281) ἀγωνιζόμενος ὑπίὲρ αὐτοῦ], etc. Cf. an Athenian inscription of B.c. 268-6, Sy// 214), ἐπειδὴ πρότερομ μὲν ᾿Αθηναῖοι καὶ «Λακεδαιμόνιοι καὶ οἱ σύμμαχοι οἱ ἑκατέρων φιλίαν καὶ συμμαχίαν κοινὴν ποιησάμενοι πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς πολλοὺς: καὶ καλοὺς ἀγῶνας ἠγωνίσαντο per ἀλλήλων πρὸς τοὺς καταδουλοῦσθαι τὰς πόλεις ἐπιχειροῦντας. The phrase here hardly differs from 2 Tim 47, and when taken along with the preceding inscription makes it decidedly less clear that the figure there is drawn from the games, as Deis-mann thinks (2.4.2, Ὁ. 312), illustrating the passige from a ii/A.D. inscription from the theatre at Ephesus—jyovicaro ἀγῶνας τρεῖς, ἐστέφθη δύω (Greek Inscriptions in the British Museum III. 604). For the rare use of &. with an inf. asin Lk 1359 ἀγωνίζεσθε εἰσελθεῖν, Field (odes, p. 66) compares Diod. Sic. X., p. 25, ed. Bip. : ὥστε 6 μὲν πατὴρ ἐξίστασθαι τῆς ὅλης ἀρχῆς ἠγωνίζετο τῷ παιδί. The verb is MGr.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ἀγωνίζομαι (agōnizomai) — to struggle. ἀγων-ίζομαι, future -ῐοῦμαι[Refs 5th c.BC+], etc. (in passive sense, see infr. B); -ίσομαι only in late writers, as [Refs 3rd c.AD+] -ισθήσομαι [Refs 2nd c.AD+]: aorist ἠγωνισάμην[Refs 5th c.BC+], etc.: perfect ἠγώνισμαι (in active sense) Id [Refs 5th c.BC+] (passive, see infr. B): aorist ἠγωνίσθην in passive sense, infr. B: active form ἀγωνίσας[Refs] — __A contend for a prize, especially in the public games, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; περί τινος about a thing, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀγῶνα.. τόνδ᾽ ἠγωνίσω thou didst provoke this contest, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
2. fight, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
3. contend for the prize on the stage, of the rhapsode, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of the playwright, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of the actor, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; of the choragus, [Refs 4th c.BC+]: generally, contend for victory, καλῶς.. ἠγώνισαι[Refs 5th c.BC+]; argue, ὅλῳ τῷ πράγματι about the question as a whole, [Refs]; especially argue sophistically, opposed to διαλέγομαι, [Refs]
4. of public speaking, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II. contend in court, as law term, [Refs 5th c.BC+] fight a cause to the last, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀ. ψευδομαρτυριῶν (i.e. γραφήν) [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀ, φόνον fight against a charge of murder, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; αὐτοῖς ἀ. τοῖς πράγμασιν grapple with the facts of the case, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
III. generally, struggle, exert oneself, with infinitive, [Refs 5th c.BC+] __B passive, to be decided by contest, brought to issue, mostly in perfect, πολλοὶ ἀγῶνες ἀγωνίδαται[Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὰ ἠγωνισμένα points at issue, [Refs 5th c.BC+]present, ὁ ἀγωνιζόμενος νόμος the law on trial, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; or aorist, δεινὸς.. κίνδυνος ὑπὲρ τῆς.. ἐλευθερίας ἠγωνίσθη[Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἠγωνίσθη λαμπρῶς (impersonal) [Refs 1st c.AD+]future middle in passive sense, ἀγωνιεῖται καὶ κριθήσεται τὸ πρᾶγμα shall be brought to issue and determined, [Refs 4th c.BC+]