in distress

phrase

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

But instead of employing a ball gown, glass slippers, and a grand carriage made from a pumpkin, the renegade maid comes to her damsel in distress armed with a different kind of escape plan—one involving an axe and a double parricide. — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 4 Aug. 2026

Commercial inventories for crude oil, gasoline, and diesel fuel are not in distress, and not out of line with historical norms. — George Calhoun, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

According to arrest warrant affidavits obtained by FOX 17, WKRN and WDEF, police responding to a Nashville residence on July 23 found a woman in distress. — Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026

The researchers say most existing unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) used in search-and-rescue missions are built mainly to locate or approach people in distress. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 24 July 2026

Rhymes for in distress

• abs
• acquiesce
• authoress
• bodiless
• coalesce
• decompress
• dispossess
• faithfulness
• letterpress
• mayoress
• murderess
• nonetheless