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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of distress
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
2 July 2026
Avila’s sister, Patricia Avila, who was also on the job when the mauling took place, was awarded $885,000 for emotional distress, and Maria Avila’s husband, Oscar Olivo, was separately awarded $50,000.
—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
1 July 2026
Dp Opinion,
Denver Post,
19 May 2026
Meanwhile, street advertisements featuring distressing graffiti in Nikki’s handwriting, expressing her love for Bear.
—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for distress
Noun
As Muharemović came to the ground, in obvious distress, word of a video review came from the sideline.
—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
2 July 2026
Avila’s sister, Patricia Avila, who was also on the job when the mauling took place, was awarded $885,000 for emotional distress, and Maria Avila’s husband, Oscar Olivo, was separately awarded $50,000.
—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
1 July 2026
Verb
Today many Coloradans are saddened and distressed by this unjustifiable act but not at all surprised.
—
Dp Opinion,
Denver Post,
19 May 2026
Meanwhile, street advertisements featuring distressing graffiti in Nikki’s handwriting, expressing her love for Bear.
—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for distress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distress
Noun
-
Adding to Rezaeian’s agony, right before the final whistle another potential clincher, a header from Khalilzadeh, hit the crossbar.
-
The agony of Sudan runs deep; its history is crisscrossed with blood.
Noun
-
Traditional studios might adopt Chinese models for some preproduction tasks such as concepting, but the geopolitical and intellectual property risks for commercial generations are too prohibitive.
-
Now in its 18th year, The Zac Foundation has provided free water safety camps to more than 25,000 kids in at-risk communities.
Verb
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Those measures, however, have alarmed privacy advocates, who argue that age-gating the internet would affect all users — not just children.
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That’s alarmed the National Union of Healthcare Workers, which represents about 400 nurses and staff at two psychiatric hospitals in Sacramento.
Noun
-
Some mourners, gathering at the funeral of Iran’s slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran on Saturday, expressed both anguish and a desire for vengeance.
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And with that decision, the company narrowed the chance that the mother’s anguish could draw attention to any danger the formula might pose to other infants.
Noun
-
Bikes on streets without bike lanes are a danger to bike riders.
-
Riders, bicycle-makers, drivers, pedestrians and lawmakers need to have their heads on swivels, as some have been too complacent about the dangers.
Verb
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Recent polling from Gallup found that Americans are concerned most about housing and energy prices, including gas.
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Carter is concerned by a pop-up power plant under construction in the area to serve a data center.
Noun
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The families of the victims said the pain is still as raw to this day.
-
The first shingles vaccine was licensed in 2006, and the more effective Shingrix vaccine was introduced in 2017, greatly reducing the risk of shingles and long-term nerve pain, according to the CDC and FDA.
Noun
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The jeopardy of knockout soccer only adds to the intensity and this is where the weaker teams get found out.
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Thapelo Maseko's 63rd-minute winner shocked the soccer world and put Korea's hopes of qualification in jeopardy.
Cite this Entry
“Distress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distress. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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