distraught

adjective dis·traught \ di-ˈstrȯt \

Definition of distraught

1 :agitated with doubt or mental conflict or pain

distraught mourners

2 :mentally deranged :crazed

as if thou wert distraught and mad with terror
—William Shakespeare

—

distraughtly

adverb

See distraught defined for English-language learners

See distraught defined for kids

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 of distraught from the Web

So when the tiny Chihuahua disappeared outside the American Legion in Beech Grove on Friday night, Johnson was distraught.

— maureen c. gilmer, Indianapolis Star, "Lost and found: When veteran's tiny dog disappears, big-hearted community steps up to find him," 22 Aug. 2017
All three victims were from Illinois and at least two were from Aurora, Ill., said Beth, who spoke to distraught friends of the victims.

— meg jones, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Three shot to death at Great Lakes Dragaway near Union Grove," 13 Aug. 2017
Many walk away from the loss — emotionally and financially — too distraught to do anything more.

— maureen c. gilmer, Indianapolis Star, "Wedding fail: How to make the most of it," 19 July 2017
This is especially true when dealing with the mentally ill homeless or distraught people who can be talked down by officers who’ve taken precautions to take themselves out of immediate danger.

— joe domanick, Los Angeles Magazine, "How the Police Commission Got the LAPD to Buy Into De-Escalation," 13 July 2017
Poor, distraught Bill may not know it, but Ruth died thanks to a set of coordinates.

— joanna robinson, HWD, "Twin Peaks: 10 Easter Eggs, References, and Callbacks You Might Have Missed in Part 9," 10 July 2017
Sharonville police officers responded to a report of a distraught female in a motel's parking lot of April 18, according to the Department of Justice.

— mariel padilla, Cincinnati.com, "Two brothers charged with child sex trafficking," 27 June 2017
Ben-Oni, the global chief information officer at IDT, was able to fend them off, but the attack left him distraught.

— nicole perlroth, Alaska Dispatch News, "A cyberattack ‘the world isn’t ready for’," 25 June 2017
Other residents were distraught that they were ordered to evacuate, but were told to leave their pets behind in buildings that could be dangerous.

— Bloomberg.com, "UK Finds 34 High-rise Apartment Buildings With Unsafe Siding," 24 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'distraught.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.