distressed

adjective

dis·​tressed di-ˈstrest How to pronounce distressed (audio)
Synonyms of distressednext
: 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
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.
England did not make it anyway (not helped by Gazza being too distressed to take a penalty in the shootout) but a national hero was born. Tim Spiers, New York Times, 3 June 2026 High-performing clinics with stable clinical leadership and predictable economics often integrate faster than distressed acquisitions, even when the latter appear cheaper at signing. Malana Vantyler, USA Today, 3 June 2026 Weeks later, a short video appeared online that showed a distressed Tice blindfolded with his apparent captors. Jennifer Jacobs, CBS News, 1 June 2026 Tanmaxxing Brings Numerous Risks Damage to the skin from UV light exposure is not like damage to your distressed jeans. Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for distressed

Word History

First Known Use

1613, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of distressed was in 1613

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Cite this Entry

“Distressed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/distressed. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.

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