in distress
idiom
1
: very upset
He was clearly in distress upon hearing the news.
2
: in a very difficult situation in which one does not have enough money, food, etc.
She's chosen to devote her life to helping those in distress.
3
of a boat, airplane, etc.
: in a state of danger or desperate need
The ship was in distress.
Examples of in distress in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Later that day, police were called to Yang’s home in the 11900 block of Castle Rock Court on reports of a child in distress.
—
Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 14 Jan. 2026
And the Islamic Republic really is in distress.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
Crisp dialogue punctuates the story as Clark richly shows how people actually talk to each other, from the police colleagues to families in distress.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2026
Apartment complex residents told KTLA that DeGregg had moved in only a few months earlier and that a woman who seemed to be in distress had been heard talking inside the apartment earlier in the day.
—Los Angeles Times, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for in distress
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Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 14 Jan. 2026
And the Islamic Republic really is in distress.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
Crisp dialogue punctuates the story as Clark richly shows how people actually talk to each other, from the police colleagues to families in distress.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2026
Apartment complex residents told KTLA that DeGregg had moved in only a few months earlier and that a woman who seemed to be in distress had been heard talking inside the apartment earlier in the day.
—Los Angeles Times, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for in distress
Cite this Entry
“In distress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20distress. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
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