knights are celebrated in fairy tales for rescuing damsels in distress
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Though set in Ghost Town with period garb, there are modern flourishes, such as tongue-in-cheek nods to the theme park’s attractions and a damsel in distress who ultimately proves to be anything but.—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026 After two seasons of Peter chasing around Rose Larkin, Isabel proves to be more than a distressed damsel, solidifying journalism’s crucial place in holding power accountable and aiding governmental investigations at large.—Jake Kring-Schreifels, Time, 19 Feb. 2026 The brave lifeguard risks life and limb to stab and punch the killer fish and rescue the damsel in distress, only to lose her to a man in a spacesuit walking along the sand who removes his helmet as the woman sprints to our space hero.—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 8 Feb. 2026 But the damsel isn’t in distress, the monster isn’t so bad, and some raunchy jokes may go over kids’ heads (but will likely delight parents).—Chris Snellgrove, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for damsel
Word History
Etymology
Middle English damesel, from Anglo-French dameisele, from Vulgar Latin *domnicella young noblewoman, diminutive of Latin domina lady