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

During the Biden administration, officials tried to steer distressed borrowers toward solutions like affordable repayment plans or loan forgiveness opportunities (for example, Public Service Loan Forgiveness or disability discharges) to prevent default. —Shahar Ziv, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025

This distressed imagery provides an apt aesthetic counterpart to storytelling in which each scene is presented as a subjective memory, with some details blurred and others pin-sharp. —Guy Lodge, Variety, 14 May 2025

What happens when students of color from lower-income families and distressed neighborhoods arrive at an elite university? —Laura Clawson, JSTOR Daily, 6 May 2025

The distressed leather, with sharp tailoring around the shoulders and waist, married beautifully with the soft, ethereal draping of the skirt, showcasing seamless precision and fluidity. —Karissa Mitchell, Essence, 6 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