1
as in disturbing
causing worry or anxiety
distressing signs that another war might be imminent
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tragic
of a kind to cause great distress
the distressing death of our favorite actor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in uneasy
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings
the distressing habit of constantly fiddling with her hair
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in alarming
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
don't let all the bad news distress you
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of distressing
Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 15 Sep. 2025
TikTok said that teen accounts cannot access graphic or potentially distressing content, even when the videos are tied to major news events.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Regardless of a user’s age, the company says its chatbots will attempt to redirect the most distressing conversations to more capable AI models that can provide a better response.
—Barbara Ortutay, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2025
Footage from the 1966 Italian documentary Africa Addio, of a herd of elephants being felled by both ground hunters and sharpshooters in helicopters, is distressing to watch.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 12 Sep. 2025
Men may feel threatened in their own success –– which is particularly distressing if they have been raised to see work as their top measure of worth –– and women may feel conflict about the division of household labor, McCoy said.
—Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
Loloi x Magnolia Home Sinclair Collection Area Rug Perfect for tying the entire room together, this area rug has antique motifs, subtle distressing details, and neutral shades of taupe that go with all kinds of hues.
—Mia Huelsbeck, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025
The fact that calls here are so unbearably real adds an extra gut punch to an already distressing scenario.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2025
Look for options with less hardware, no distressing, and a straightforward shape.
—Christina Holevas, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
The news has been described by observers as distressing but not surprising.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 15 Sep. 2025
TikTok said that teen accounts cannot access graphic or potentially distressing content, even when the videos are tied to major news events.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Regardless of a user’s age, the company says its chatbots will attempt to redirect the most distressing conversations to more capable AI models that can provide a better response.
—Barbara Ortutay, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2025
Footage from the 1966 Italian documentary Africa Addio, of a herd of elephants being felled by both ground hunters and sharpshooters in helicopters, is distressing to watch.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 12 Sep. 2025
Men may feel threatened in their own success –– which is particularly distressing if they have been raised to see work as their top measure of worth –– and women may feel conflict about the division of household labor, McCoy said.
—Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
Loloi x Magnolia Home Sinclair Collection Area Rug Perfect for tying the entire room together, this area rug has antique motifs, subtle distressing details, and neutral shades of taupe that go with all kinds of hues.
—Mia Huelsbeck, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025
The fact that calls here are so unbearably real adds an extra gut punch to an already distressing scenario.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2025
Look for options with less hardware, no distressing, and a straightforward shape.
—Christina Holevas, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distressing
Adjective
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Her black-and-white paintings mixed cartoon characters with psychological complexities resulting in sometimes-disturbing interpretations of pop icons.—
Jane Wooldridge,
Miami Herald,
19 Sep. 2025
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Ask them to retell their experience watching it The best thing to do when a child sees something disturbing is to talk about it.—
Robyn Koslowitz,
Parents,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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As America continues to face tragic acts of school violence, parishioners and leaders alike see Castillo’s example as a source of strength.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
21 Sep. 2025
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When people are directed to fill their spiritual emptiness with rage, the social outcome is predictably tragic.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Earlier this year, Stewart admitted the thought left him uneasy.—
Greg Engle,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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This stirs an uneasy thought in the astrobiologist’s mind.—
Dirk Schulze-Makuch,
Big Think,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Aaron Glenn has a defensive background, serving as the defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions from 2021 to 2024, so the Jets' defensive struggles have been alarming so far.—
Aaliyan Mohammed,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
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The tackling was alarming enough that the Broncos were practicing on Monday with live tackles, something that’s not seen too often once the season starts.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
1 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The experience has been unsettling.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
20 Sep. 2025
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But there’s something genuinely unsettling about watching Katherine get stalked by the bubbles from her bath or the room itself somehow teleport around the hotel; if nothing else, the suite is certainly one of the season’s more unusual villains.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Therefore, there are some unfortunate parallels between young Gen Z needing to sacrifice wages due to wavering job opportunities and millennials graduating into the Great Recession.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
16 Sep. 2025
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In today's volatile business climate, layoffs have become an unfortunate reality across industries.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Usman is anxious about the fate of her surviving twin, who is 18 months old and in need of nutritional treatment.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
21 Sep. 2025
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The uncertainty has left some players on the Valkyries anxious going into this year’s expansion draft.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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With Jorgen Strand Larsen, who scored vital goals last season, suffering from an injury and a distracting transfer saga amid interest from Newcastle, Pereira has had to work with three crucial players through the spine of his team either missing or below par.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
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Here, the challenge was capturing speed, altitude, and precision in a way that feels immediate without distracting from the story.—
Tony Bradley,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Distressing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distressing. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
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