distressed

1 of 2

adjective

dis·​tressed di-ˈstrest 

: of, relating to, or experiencing economic decline or difficulty

federal grants for distressed cities

distressed

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of distress entry 2

Examples of distressed in a Sentence

Adjective

She felt emotionally and physically distressed.

The government provided funds to the economically distressed city.

Donations were given to financially distressed families.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Camouflage, leather and distressed finishes were recurring themes, alongside statement sneakers and logo-heavy pieces. — Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026

None asked whether people turn to chatbots for security and comfort when truly distressed. — Pascal Vrticka, Scientific American, 4 Oct. 2026

The familiar design styles, complete with brush stroke ribbons and distressed fonts. — Adam Taylor, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Recent approaches have included teaching students how to recognize when their peers are emotionally distressed and need help. — Pietro A. Sasso, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1613, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for distressed

• acquiesced
• coalesced
• dispossessed
• manifest
• overdressed
• overstressed
• prepossessed
• reassessed
• reinvest
• repossessed
• unaddressed
• uncompressed