DISTRESSING Synonyms: 205 Similar and Opposite Words

distressing 1 of 2

adjective

as in disturbing

causing worry or anxiety distressing signs that another war might be imminent

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in tragic

of a kind to cause great distress the distressing death of our favorite actor

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

distressing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of distress

as in alarming

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 distressing

Adjective

Few physical changes are as distressing as noticing your hairline receding, your part widening or a once-full head of hair becoming noticeably thinner. — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 31 July 2026 Terrified by distressing noises in the house and unable to reach their friends by phone, roommates Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke hid together in a first-floor room and survived the attack. — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 29 July 2026 Like the other pros plying this particular trade, Cooper was capable of evoking distressing scenes with an untroubled matter-of-factness. — John Semley, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026 As if packing up a summer house full of family memories isn’t distressing enough, their father’s new wife arrives — pushing the Shipman family to their limits. — Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026 Recent news about literacy, education and general smarts in California and across the country has been somewhat distressing. — Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2026 Plot The film opens with news reports of a string of grave robbings in Texas, along with a litany of other violent and distressing reports of world events. — Jordana Rosenfeld, Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 July 2026 Car rides, unfamiliar buildings, kennel waits and sharing space with strangers can turn a routine appointment into a genuinely distressing experience. — Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 9 July 2026 Light wash indigo and dark indigo with heavy whiskering and distressing remain the dominate palette, but non-indigo colors like charcoal, olive, ecru and sand are gaining importance. — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 29 June 2026

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

In a handwritten criminal complaint, Patty’s ex-wife described a disturbing physical altercation that allegedly left her with a swollen arm, neck pain and a bump on her head.

— Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2026
The 1981 film revolves around a woman who begins exhibiting increasingly disturbing behavior after asking her husband for a divorce.

— Justin Kroll, Deadline, 29 July 2026

Definition of disturbing

Adjective

Further, for a couple like the Warners, who had kept their relationship private, this matter has drawn unwanted attention to a family mourning a tragic loss.

— Morgan Mouchette, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
This true story follows his ultimately tragic path hiking in the uncharted wilderness of Alaska.

— The Week US, TheWeek, 31 July 2026

Definition of tragic

Adjective

The two had been in an uneasy alliance ruling the country following the 2019 overthrow of Sudan’s longtime dictator, Omar al-Bashir, who had been in power since 1989.

— Chris Massaro, FOXNews.com, 29 July 2026
In the upcoming third season, Kimmie finally has a seat at the Bellarie table, but when a deadly family feud erupts, she’s forced into an uneasy alliance with Mallory.

— Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 28 July 2026

Definition of uneasy

Verb

In Orange County, the Florida Department of Health in Orange County maintains infectious-disease surveillance and disease-reporting services for residents and visitors, which is exactly how local systems stay ready without alarming the public.

— Luis E. Caso Vega, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 July 2026
So, even just the unusual presence of an aircraft in this area made this incident alarming for one resident, Anna, who spoke to CNN near the scene.

— Steven Jiang, CNN Money, 26 June 2026

Definition of alarming

Adjective

The image could be a still from a film about an alien invasion, although the ominous light almost makes the figures seem like cinemagoers transfixed by something unsettling playing out onscreen.

— Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 24 July 2026
The Houthi threat is so unsettling to oil markets because millions of barrels per day pass through the Bab el-Mandeb strait to reach global markets.

— Steve Kopack, NBC news, 23 July 2026

Definition of unsettling

Adjective

No, this unfortunate moniker represents the lack of attention to and awareness of the disease.

— Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Typically, when rookies put up gaudy numbers in Las Vegas, their stats are accompanied by unfortunate shooting percentages or a bevy of turnovers, but that wasn’t the case for Burries.

— Eric Nehm, New York Times, 19 July 2026

Definition of unfortunate

Adjective

Kids who, like him, are growing up afraid and anxious because of domestic violence at home, and who need what Torre didn’t have — somewhere safe to go to for help.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2026
In June, a group of anxious European policy researchers issued Europe 2031, a scenario in which civilization between the Urals and the Atlantic ends up at least functionally extinct.

— Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 25 July 2026

Definition of anxious

Verb

The Art of Peripheral Focus One of the primary challenges of a 270-degree projection is ensuring the peripheral imagery enhances the experience without distracting from the central narrative.

— Benny Har-Even, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
In the context of tens of thousands of DPS students who aren’t making gains quickly enough to ever meet proficiency levels, such fanfare is essentially distracting braggadocio.

— Elaine Gantz Berman, Denver Post, 27 July 2026

Definition of distracting

Browse Nearby Words

distressfully

distressing

distressingly

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Distressing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distressing. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of distressing

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on distressing

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

highfalutin

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly

Popular in Wordplay

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Jul. 31

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes