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 terror—
William Shakespeare
William 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.
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
When a chance encounter with a distraught stranger on a train goes horribly wrong, Jack Reacher (Ritchson) is drawn into a complex and deadly game that pits him against ruthless foes from the highest echelons of power.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 26 June 2025
Chuck was distraught, ranting on the Council floor about how unfair his premature ouster was.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 25 June 2025
After officers spent some time talking with those involved and trying to get the distraught mother to put down her baby, body camera footage shows Maria Pike, 34, grab a large knife and move toward an officer, knife raised.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2025
Another headache for the authorities is that a camera phone inside the bank captures her distraught monologue explaining what got her here — which gets broadcast on local TV, drawing a crowd of protestors outside.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for distraught
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Matt Grobar, Deadline, 26 June 2025
Chuck was distraught, ranting on the Council floor about how unfair his premature ouster was.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 25 June 2025
After officers spent some time talking with those involved and trying to get the distraught mother to put down her baby, body camera footage shows Maria Pike, 34, grab a large knife and move toward an officer, knife raised.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2025
Another headache for the authorities is that a camera phone inside the bank captures her distraught monologue explaining what got her here — which gets broadcast on local TV, drawing a crowd of protestors outside.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for distraught
Cite this Entry
“Distraught.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/distraught. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
distraught
adjective
dis·traught
dis-ˈtrȯt 
1
: disturbed with doubt or painful feelings
2
distraughtly
adverb
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