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

Saldaña turned heads in her structured little black dress from Balmain, which married a distressed texture with high-drama silhouettes. — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 30 July 2026

Stewart reached for a distressed denim shirt that resembles the silhouette and wash of this Quince chore jacket. — Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026

The steady rise in foreclosure filings suggests distressed inventory and demand for fast-closing financing may continue to expand even as insurance costs keep some investors on the sidelines. — Kaitlyn Gomez, Miami Herald, 29 July 2026

Authorized by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, Opportunity Zones are economically distressed communities nominated by states and certified by the Treasury Department. — Sarah Agostino, CNBC, 26 July 2026

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