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
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of distress
Alex Shoemaker, Parents, 4 June 2025
For vulnerable populations, including children, elderly adults, pregnant women, and people with respiratory or cardiovascular diseases, these effects can be more severe, potentially leading to acute respiratory distress or cardiac events.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 June 2025
Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2025
Lawmakers found the sell-off in the bond markets especially distressing because of its implication for the broader economy.
—Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 13 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distress
Noun
While technology can be a valuable tool, too much of it can impact mental well-being–otherwise known as digital distress.
—Alex Shoemaker, Parents, 4 June 2025
For vulnerable populations, including children, elderly adults, pregnant women, and people with respiratory or cardiovascular diseases, these effects can be more severe, potentially leading to acute respiratory distress or cardiac events.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 June 2025
Verb
The student, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of being targeted by authorities, said she has been distressed to see the terminations even for students like her without criminal records.
—Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2025
Lawmakers found the sell-off in the bond markets especially distressing because of its implication for the broader economy.
—Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 13 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distress
Noun
-
And that gave him some kind of legitimacy after 40 years of agony, derided by the music press.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
11 June 2025
-
For more than a year, the Perry family waited in agony for answers.—
Christina Coulter,
People.com,
7 June 2025
Noun
-
Miyazaki being pushed to the forefront, mostly due to the way audiences respond to his movies, risks diminishing the work of everyone else at the studio.—
Ryan Gaur,
IndieWire,
10 June 2025
-
In the government’s view, UBS’s American business, which manages $2.1 trillion for wealthy clients and lends them money, is a potential risk, and regulators want the bank to increase its ability to absorb steep losses there.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
10 June 2025
Verb
-
Her red Chevy Avalanche was found abandoned with windows rolled down -- a detail that immediately alarmed her family.—
Doc Louallen,
ABC News,
6 June 2025
-
Trump’s sudden rebuke has alarmed some conservative court-watchers, who warn the president’s new approach could fracture a judicial pipeline built over decades.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
4 June 2025
Noun
-
Among the thousands left in anguish is Sasha Escalante, a 44-year-old Venezuelan radio producer living in Miami.—
Verónica Egui Brito,
Miami Herald,
5 June 2025
-
Criminalizing them can lead to extended mental anguish.—
Sophie Clark,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 June 2025
Noun
-
Some fans were quick to show concern for Paltrow in the comments, warning the Goop founder about the dangers of topless cooking.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
15 June 2025
-
Our teams just had to deal with something extremely traumatizing and when faced with personal risk to their own lives, chose to run towards the danger in order to serve this community.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 June 2025
Verb
-
Having said that, returning from a serious ankle injury is absolutely something to be concerned about.—
Brad Biggs,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2025
-
The incident was reported Friday at 9:17 a.m., and the last update concerning this incident was provided on Friday at 9:20 a.m.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
8 June 2025
Noun
-
Demographics of Los Angeles show its a fertile ground for anti-ICE protests Palpable fear and pain On the same day Hernandez shared his grief with USA TODAY, 700 U.S. Marines arrived in Los Angeles.—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
13 June 2025
-
How permanent? were questions that Bearden suggested the jury consider to guide the panel’s deliberation on Elijah’s pain and his family’s loss of companionship and mental anguish.—
Emerson Clarridge,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 June 2025
Noun
-
That has left the future of two wide receivers in potential jeopardy.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 May 2025
-
The development adds another layer of legal jeopardy for the Tate brothers, who have become lightning rods for controversy over their online content and lifestyle brand.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
28 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Distress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distress. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share