as in agitated
feeling overwhelming fear or worry
distraught relatives waiting to learn whether there were any survivors of the plane crash
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of distraught
Morrison talked about how her daughter was distraught after the breakup, leading to an emotional moment where Morrison ran offstage in tears.
—
Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
While cathartic for a moment, both Claire and Jamie are distraught, thinking that their daughter could have been alive and never knew.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
That’s a lot of people, plus their distraught families.
—Jim Nowlan, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026
The family of the victim is distraught.
—Conor Wight, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for distraught
Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
While cathartic for a moment, both Claire and Jamie are distraught, thinking that their daughter could have been alive and never knew.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
That’s a lot of people, plus their distraught families.
—Jim Nowlan, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026
The family of the victim is distraught.
—Conor Wight, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for distraught
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distraught
Adjective
-
Iannarelli explained that a core element of de-escalation is projecting calmness, as individuals often mimic those who appear angry and agitated.—
Evonne Andris,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Jackson allegedly appeared to be in a highly agitated state and was moving erratically and mumbling, police body camera footage shows.—
Kellie Love,
Hartford Courant,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Democrats are worried that our troops eat too well.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
2 Apr. 2026
-
But, for now, some leaders remain worried about what happens next.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Chesney became frightened, scaled the enclosure wall and hopped over the fence.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The team caught up with Chesney on Wednesday and again Thursday night, but Johnson said the frightened kangaroo slipped away — once by jumping into a cold river — and Johnson lost track on the drone.—
John O'Connor,
Fortune,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Szeemann’s two Venice Biennales followed a decade of frantic exhibition-making across the globe, by Szeemann himself and by young professionals proud to call themselves independent curators.—
Daniel Birnbaum,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
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Brooks, for his part, equivocated … A bout of frantic rebranding ensued.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Employees felt unsafe coming to work; customers were scared to leave their homes.—
David Farley,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Hearts have melted online after a scared rescue dog bravely faced her fear in order to join her owner, with many viewers praising her unquestionable courage and determination.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Recently, Kristen chased a terrified family with young children up a nearby stairway.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
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But since the arrival of the feds, families had grown too terrified to leave home.—
Daniel Brook,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
This small meal should be low in fiber and fat, as these can cause an upset stomach.—
Dr. Sarah Kinsella,
Boston Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
-
In his March Madness brackets, Obama has the Arizona Wildcats men defeating the Duke Blue Devils (who have already been upset) and UConn's women's team winning it all.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Distraught.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distraught. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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