in distress
idiom
1
: very upset
He was clearly in distress upon hearing the news.
2
: in a very difficult situation in which one does not have enough money, food, etc.
She's chosen to devote her life to helping those in distress.
3
of a boat, airplane, etc.
: in a state of danger or desperate need
The ship was in distress.
Examples of in distress in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Missing healthcare directives can leave families in distress during medical emergencies.
—
Cody Barbo, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
The children were in distress, according to police and a neighbor.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2025
Scientists found that hearing an infant in distress activates the autonomic nervous system—the body's unconscious control system for functions like breathing and digestion—causing our faces to literally get hotter.
—Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
Standing water on a flat field is a symptom of a landscape in distress.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for in distress
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Cody Barbo, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
The children were in distress, according to police and a neighbor.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2025
Scientists found that hearing an infant in distress activates the autonomic nervous system—the body's unconscious control system for functions like breathing and digestion—causing our faces to literally get hotter.
—Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
Standing water on a flat field is a symptom of a landscape in distress.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for in distress
Cite this Entry
“In distress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20distress. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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