as in difficult
full of or causing stress; making you feel worried or anxious
I had a stressful day at work today. a stressful situation
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Recent Examples of stressful
How to Plant Creeping Thyme Plant creeping thyme in spring—this will give it time to become established before the heat of summer brings stressful growing conditions for new plants.
—
David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 11 Feb. 2026
If the stakes in Olivia Ferney‘s social media videos aren’t high enough for you, Fifth Season is set to dramatize the ultra-luxury travel concierge’s fancy — and stressful — life, The Hollywood Reporter has learned exclusively.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 10 Feb. 2026
That said, stressful times can increase burnout and nobody likes to see their company (or their stock) losing ground to rivals.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
Between reservations, cards and calendar chaos, Valentine’s Day can start to feel more stressful than romantic.
—Avery Newmark, AJC.com, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stressful
David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 11 Feb. 2026
If the stakes in Olivia Ferney‘s social media videos aren’t high enough for you, Fifth Season is set to dramatize the ultra-luxury travel concierge’s fancy — and stressful — life, The Hollywood Reporter has learned exclusively.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 10 Feb. 2026
That said, stressful times can increase burnout and nobody likes to see their company (or their stock) losing ground to rivals.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
Between reservations, cards and calendar chaos, Valentine’s Day can start to feel more stressful than romantic.
—Avery Newmark, AJC.com, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stressful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stressful
Adjective
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The voracious reader said that the best books, those that brought him happiness, were not the ones that ease our way in this strange and difficult world.—
Noah Goldberg,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Feb. 2026
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Local farmers work long hours, often under difficult conditions, to ensure our food supply remains steady.—
Joe Dymek,
Baltimore Sun,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Most importantly, Alvarado relishes in his role as a tough-nosed, point-of-attack defender, an area the Knicks have had trouble despite building a roster with notable defenders across all positions.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
5 Feb. 2026
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With a durable and tough rubber sole featuring Vibram's TC5+ technology, each step offers the right amount of flex and resistance for a comfortable hiking experience.—
Michael Cappetta,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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More than half of the search-and-rescue workers who show up for the most trying missions are BUSARs.—
Paige Williams,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
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And Modi and Xi have had a more trying relationship than either has had with Putin.—
Thomas Wright,
The Atlantic,
17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stressful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stressful. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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