1
as in agony
a state of great suffering of body or mind
the upcoming bar exam is causing us considerable distress the survivors were in extreme distress after having been stranded on the island for a week with no food
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in risk
the state of not being protected from injury, harm, or evil
a ship in distress
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to alarm
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
don't let all the bad news distress you
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of distress
Jade Le Deley, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Smith and Santana are seeking damages exceeding $75,000 for allegations of defamation and emotional distress.
—Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 11 May 2026
Darla Mercado, Cfp®, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2026
Channel a beach theme Happily distressed furniture and a blue and white palette do wonders to unify a space and provide a casual atmosphere.
—Rachel Davies, Architectural Digest, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for distress
Noun
Family members said Ross is still struggling with memory gaps and emotional distress following her detention.
—Jade Le Deley, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Smith and Santana are seeking damages exceeding $75,000 for allegations of defamation and emotional distress.
—Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 11 May 2026
Verb
Companies in this cohort are less likely to be distressed compared to their peers in the first quintile – that is, firms offering the highest dividend yield.
—Darla Mercado, Cfp®, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2026
Channel a beach theme Happily distressed furniture and a blue and white palette do wonders to unify a space and provide a casual atmosphere.
—Rachel Davies, Architectural Digest, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for distress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distress
Noun
-
Kirby, screaming in agony, was on his knees as officers ordered him to drop a knife, according to video.—
David K. Li,
NBC news,
15 May 2026
-
The sight of a heart-and-soul player in agony on the ice, then being helped off it — by captain Marie-Philip Poulin, Stacey’s wife — was a shock.—
Hailey Salvian,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Multiple spills — including the 1997 Torch/Platform Irene spill, the 2007 San Francisco Bay Cosco Busan bunker fuel spill, and the 2021 Huntington Beach pipeline leak — have reinforced California’s argument that expanded drilling and aging pipelines pose ongoing environmental risks.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
-
And other states might not want to take similar risks.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
That threat alone should alarm anyone who pays bills, runs a business, or has seen government expand as basic services deteriorate.—
Matt Klink,
Daily News,
14 May 2026
-
Steadman Stahl, the president of the South Florida Police Benevolent Association, told CBS News Miami that he is alarmed by this case and hopes someone can help find the suspect.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
Annah’s resulting anguish is so uncomfortable for the others, that Ibrahim and Jacques practically come to blows.—
Alissa Simon,
Variety,
16 May 2026
-
Yet masculinism also functions as a perpetual-motion machine of grievance, an inarticulate howl of anguish at the status quo—whatever that currently is.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
This danger has led to the creation of various regulations and laws.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
17 May 2026
-
Red-flag fire danger warnings have also been issued from Arizona to southern Nebraska, as well as in California’s Central San Joaquin Valley.—
Kyle Reiman,
ABC News,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
Endocrinology is the medical specialty concerned with these diseases of the body’s hormones.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
-
So far as Pedro Almodóvar is concerned, cinema is everything, and everything is cinema.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
Symptoms can include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain and internal bleeding.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
-
Guilfoyle said helpful approaches include increasing enrichment and sniff-based activities on walks, providing more structured chewing opportunities, treating underlying nausea, reflux, pain or anxiety if present, and redirecting with food or toys before the dog starts grazing heavily.—
Diana Bocco,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Yet that’s in jeopardy as the program faces budget cuts for the third consecutive year.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
-
Otherwise, the two countries will have clashes and even conflicts, putting the entire relationship in great jeopardy.—
Joe Walsh,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Distress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distress. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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