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
Teresa Hopke, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
The bright green shade adds a pop of color, there’s plenty of distressing to give it that antique feel, and the delicate floral details add whimsical details.
—Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 21 Jan. 2026
Spivey is exceptional, but the series’ leering contempt for his character is unsettling, and after establishing some distressing details, the character’s arc goes in a wildly different direction.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 21 Jan. 2026
Federal agents had carried out an immigration sweep, unsettling shoppers and distressing business owners who were struggling from last year’s enforcement operations.
—Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2026
Rather than finishing denim on a flat bench and relying on aggressive abrasion or artificial distressing, the process creates three-dimensional wear mapping that feels intuitive, lived-in, and personal to the wearer.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 12 Jan. 2026
In the past, Mia had suffered from obsessive compulsive disorder and intrusive, distressing thoughts.
—Katie Whyatt, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
More distressing is the larger cultural shift away from reading for pleasure.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 5 Jan. 2026
Despite the distressing records, water managers pointed out the season is far from over.
—Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 30 Dec. 2025
Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026
Its mid-rise Harlow jeans are composed of a cotton and elastane blend, with a powder-blue hue and strategic hints of distressing down the leg.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
What’s Shaping How People Show Up At Work Teams are operating against a constant backdrop of heavy, often distressing news.
—Teresa Hopke, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
The bright green shade adds a pop of color, there’s plenty of distressing to give it that antique feel, and the delicate floral details add whimsical details.
—Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 21 Jan. 2026
Spivey is exceptional, but the series’ leering contempt for his character is unsettling, and after establishing some distressing details, the character’s arc goes in a wildly different direction.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 21 Jan. 2026
Federal agents had carried out an immigration sweep, unsettling shoppers and distressing business owners who were struggling from last year’s enforcement operations.
—Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2026
Rather than finishing denim on a flat bench and relying on aggressive abrasion or artificial distressing, the process creates three-dimensional wear mapping that feels intuitive, lived-in, and personal to the wearer.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 12 Jan. 2026
In the past, Mia had suffered from obsessive compulsive disorder and intrusive, distressing thoughts.
—Katie Whyatt, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
More distressing is the larger cultural shift away from reading for pleasure.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 5 Jan. 2026
Despite the distressing records, water managers pointed out the season is far from over.
—Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 30 Dec. 2025
Verb
Thieves have tried to break into Taylor Minatogawa’s business five times in the last two months, distressing him so much he’s spent at least a dozen nights inside his shop keeping guard.
—Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026
Its mid-rise Harlow jeans are composed of a cotton and elastane blend, with a powder-blue hue and strategic hints of distressing down the leg.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distressing
Adjective
-
Some of those revelations are deeply disturbing.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
1 Feb. 2026
-
These disturbing images raise even more questions about Epstein and his relationships with some of the most powerful men in the world.—
Lori A Bashian,
FOXNews.com,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Today, there are more than 80,000 amputees in Angola, a tragic legacy of 27 years of the Angolan Civil War, which ended in 2002.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The true story of the Von Erich wrestling family was so unrelentingly tragic that when The Iron Claw finally got made, director Sean Durkin opted to leave one brother out entirely.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Chalk the moves up to uneasy investors.—
Brandon Kochkodin,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Kelly and King shake things up around the half-hour mark by venturing into the real world, where Grace (Cristin Milioti), the mother of two boys unusually far apart in age, starts being overcome by uneasy feelings about a cold dark void.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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After her husband took her pets out of the room, Bloor then faced the even more delicate task of safely removing herself from the bed without alarming the snake.—
Phil Boucher,
PEOPLE,
16 Jan. 2026
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While a small sample size, the historical record for what happens after the S & P 500 has a down month after a seven-month win streak is more reassuring than alarming for the near term.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
On the unsettling meme economy in the aftermath of violence.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Uncertainty can be unsettling nonetheless.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Toni Preckwinkle has served the city of Chicago and Cook County ably throughout her long political career and done much to make life better for the unfortunate among us.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Jan. 2026
-
French Stewart played Harry Solomon, who was known for his odd posture, nervous energy, and the unfortunate fact that alien messages arrived through his head.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Flat, calm but earnest, mildly anxious, blunted, volatile.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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Times of Troy survey After an anxious few weeks for Trojan fans, USC finally has its next defensive coordinator.—
Ryan Kartje,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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It’s been only about three weeks since Trump toppled Maduro, and already a long line of other flashpoints — from immigration enforcement to Greenland — are distracting attention from what his administration is doing in Caracas.—
Eleanor Mueller,
semafor.com,
26 Jan. 2026
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The whole idea is to choose something that isn't too distracting.—
Sarah Lyon,
Southern Living,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Distressing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distressing. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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