distraught

adjective

dis·​traught di-ˈstrȯt How to pronounce distraught (audio)
1
: agitated with doubt or mental conflict or pain
distraught mourners
2
: exhibiting a severely disordered state of mind : not mentally sound
as if thou wert distraught and mad with terrorWilliam Shakespeare
distraughtly adverb

Examples of distraught in a Sentence

Of particular concern are phony contractors, who knock on the doors of distraught homeowners and offer to repair damaged roofs or remove fallen trees. Natalie Rodriguez, This Old House, March 2006
The night before the story broke, West sat down for a two-hour interview with the Spokane-Review and left so distraught that its editor, Steven Smith, asked the police chief to check on him. Unmesh Kher, Time, 23 May 2005
Captured by news photographers under the direction of his manager Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis's turn in the barber's chair was a public ceremony: a symbolic shearing, not only of Elvis—who would return from the service a meek semblance of himself, a mama's boy without a mama (his distraught mother, Gladys, died while he was stationed at Fort Hood, soon to depart for Germany)—but of rock 'n' roll itself. James Wolcott, Vanity Fair, November 2000
Distraught relatives are waiting for news of the missing children. She was distraught over the death of her partner.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
One fan turned up to my house, distraught, wringing his hands. Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 11 May 2025 After the meeting, the distraught father left in his own car, which is when the incident involving the deputy happened, the spokesperson said. Mirna Alsharif, NBC news, 5 May 2025 But the work often takes an emotional toll, Speer said, reflecting on a difficult search in January for a distraught 17-year-old girl. N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 3 May 2025 Already out, distraught Bode had to be restrained by Jake from going back in to help his family as the building started to crumble. Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 25 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for distraught

Word History

Etymology

Middle English distraght, distrauht, distrawt "disturbed, distressed, insane," alteration of distract (functioning as past participle of distracten "to distract entry 1"), probably by assimilation to past participles ending in -ght, as caght, caught, caut caught, taught, taut taught

Note: The Oxford English Dictionary, first edition, suggests that the specific motivating factor for the formation may have been the Middle English verb strecchen "to stretch entry 1," which has as past participles both streight, straight (see straight entry 1) and straught, straut. Given that the Middle English word distrait "distracted, distressed," by origin a past participle of Anglo-French detreire (see distrait), was taken as synonymous with distract (as past participle), by analogy with streight/straught a new formation distraght may have arisen.

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of distraught was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Distraught.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/distraught. Accessed 21 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

distraught

adjective
dis·​traught dis-ˈtrȯt How to pronounce distraught (audio)
1
: disturbed with doubt or painful feelings
2
distraughtly adverb

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