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

Developers will come in there and start putting cash on the streets to buy out distressed properties. —Laura Sullivan, NPR, 8 June 2025

End Table with Storage Solid wood and a distressed finish make this end table a rustic addition to bedrooms and living spaces. —Ali Faccenda, People.com, 7 June 2025

This version of the Doctor sported sonic sunglasses instead of the traditional screwdriver, and loved a distressed chunky knit jumper. —Richard Edwards, Space.com, 29 May 2025

Thirty properties in Upper Downtown have been identified as distressed or deteriorating, defined as marketing over 40% of their rentable building area for lease. —Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 29 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1613, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for distressed

• acquiesced
• coalesced
• dispossessed
• manifest
• overdressed
• overstressed
• prepossessed
• reassessed
• reinvest
• repossessed
• unaddressed
• uncompressed