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ἀδημονέω

adēmonéō

G85 verb

SILEX Entry

Root ἀδημον- to be distressed, to be troubled, to feel deep anxiety

Definition

To be in a state of great distress, agitation, or anxiety—especially describing inward turmoil, emotional anguish, or deep mental unease. The term commonly expresses intense emotional discomfort or inner agitation, often in situations of fear, anticipation of suffering, or concern for others; it indicates more than mere sadness, denoting a profound emotional struggle.

Semantic Range

to be deeply distressed, to be troubled in spirit, to experience inner turmoil, to feel anguished or anxious, to be in emotional agony

Root / Etymology

Derived from a form possibly related to ἄδημος (homeless, without a people) or from a combination with ἄδημος and possible connections to δημόω (to belong to the people), though the exact derivational path is uncertain. The original sense may be related to being 'without belonging,' leading to a sense of anxious alienation or desolation. Some lexica relate it to an unrecorded verb ἀδημέω, but etymology remains uncertain.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The verb ἀδημονέω is found infrequently in extant Greek literature, with notable usage concentrated in later Hellenistic and Koine Greek, especially in the New Testament and in medical writers (e.g., Galen). In the New Testament, it describes Jesus' emotional state in Gethsemane (e.g., Matt 26:37; Mark 14:33), where it signifies a depth of distress surpassing ordinary sorrow—an anguished struggle within the self, sometimes coupled with the verb λυπέω (to be grieved). Earlier and classical Greek lacks the term, and its emergence in later periods may reflect both semantic development and borrowing among cognate roots. Standard translations such as 'to be very heavy,' 'to be deeply distressed,' or 'to be greatly troubled' attempt to capture the intensity but may obscure the sense of inward agitation and psychological struggle inherent in the term. The word is not synonymous with simple grief (λύπη) or fear (φόβος), but rather describes a particular kind of overwhelming emotional distress, often with implications of alienation or isolation. Its concentrated use in the Gospels has led to traditional renderings as 'sorrowful' or 'distressed,' though the original term is stronger and more inwardly focused.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from a derivative of (to be sated to loathing); to be in distress (of mind):--be full of heaviness, be very heavy.

Root Family

ἀδημονέω (adēmonéō) — to be distressed, to be troubled, to feel deep anxiety

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G85-01 ἀδημονεῖν ademonein V PRS ACT INF to be troubled to be deeply distressed to be deeply distressed 2
G85-02 ἀδημονῶν ademonon V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG distressed being deeply distressed being deeply distressed 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G85-01 Matthew 26:37 ἀδημονεῖν ademonein V PRS ACT INF to be troubled to be deeply distressed to be deeply distressed
G85-01 Mark 14:33 ἀδημονεῖν ademonein V PRS ACT INF troubled to be deeply distressed to be deeply distressed
G85-02 Philippians 2:26 ἀδημονῶν ademonon V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG distressed being deeply distressed being deeply distressed
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