distressed
adjective
dis·tressed
di-ˈstrest 
: of, relating to, or experiencing economic decline or difficulty
federal grants for distressed cities
Examples of distressed in a Sentence
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
Pratt rails against the property insurance situation before the blaze and the foreign corporations snapping up parcels from distressed sellers who’d planned to pass them down to younger generations.
—
Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2025
Research even shows that horror fans are more resilient and less psychologically distressed than nonhorror fans in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 15 Oct. 2025
The child appears distressed and is seen trying to get away from her, authorities said.
—Julia Marnin, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2025
The faded colors and distressed pattern give the rug an always-been-here feel and lend a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere to the space.
—Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distressed
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.
Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2025
Research even shows that horror fans are more resilient and less psychologically distressed than nonhorror fans in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 15 Oct. 2025
The child appears distressed and is seen trying to get away from her, authorities said.
—Julia Marnin, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2025
The faded colors and distressed pattern give the rug an always-been-here feel and lend a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere to the space.
—Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distressed
Cite this Entry
“Distressed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/distressed. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share