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

The large tabletop is ideal for setting out snacks or playing a game with friends, while the distressed, two-tone brown-and-white finish blends easily with existing furniture. —Jacqueline Tempera, PEOPLE, 22 Jan. 2026

Hedge funds provide a more liquid alternative to private equity-like strategies while preserving the ability to capitalize on distressed and event-driven opportunities. —Carrie McCabe, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026

And so how better to treat a disease that comes from being distressed about environmental destruction than to make people stop caring? —Literary Hub, 20 Jan. 2026

Since last year, federal investigators have been examining how tens of millions of dollars has been distributed among Hartford nonprofits, some of which play a vital role across the city’s economically distressed north side. —Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 20 Jan. 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