distressed

adjective

dis·​tressed di-ˈstrest How to pronounce distressed (audio)
: 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 Several said they are distressed at the possibility that the mine and its waste will infiltrate the area’s groundwater, which drains toward Tucson’s wells and the Santa Cruz River. Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 7 Mar. 2024 The announcement sent shares of the bank, which has been hammered by weakness in commercial real estate and growing pains resulting from its buyout of a distressed bank, on a wild ride. Stan Choe, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2024 While coquette is defined by soft pastels, lace and pearls, romantic florals, and old English elegance, grunge coquette adds a jagged feel with darker colors, distressed details, and gothic accents. Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Mar. 2024 Creative Co-Op Distressed Wood Two-Tier Tray French country style is peppered with distressed wood. Gabriela Izquierdo, Southern Living, 5 Mar. 2024 The distressed boaters were traveling from Guadeloupe to France when they got stuck about 1,726 miles east of Bermuda, a distance that officials said was comparable to traveling about halfway across the continental United States. Stephen Sorace, Fox News, 5 Mar. 2024 From what material is presently available, Beijing will commit the equivalent of $280 billion a year for five years to buy up distressed private residential real estate developments and repurpose them as rental units. Milton Ezrati, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Sea-Watch, which is among several NGOs that plan to use the One Fleet app, currently locates distressed migrant vessels by using radars, patrolling the sea with binoculars, or tracking Frontex drones. Beatrice Tridimas, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Mar. 2024 The mink eel distressed saddle bag by John Galliano matched perfectly with the white fur look of her coat, tying the whole look together. Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 22 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'distressed.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1613, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of distressed was in 1613

Dictionary Entries Near distressed

Cite this Entry

“Distressed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/distressed. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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