stressed

adjective

ˈstrest 

: subjected to or affected by stress

The feeling that one must show up for work even if one is too sick, stressed [=stressed-out], or distracted to be productive.

—Paul McFedries

As important as training is to distance running, the time devoted to repair stressed muscles between races is even more crucial.

—Joseph Hall

That translates into a drought, and stressed trees are highly susceptible to beetle infestations.

—Jim Robbins

… the soundscape inside these vehicles, punctuated by mechanical rattles and the groans of stressed metal …

—Chris Knight

Synonyms

• shell-shocked
• stressed-out

Examples of stressed in a Sentence

He was feeling pretty stressed about the deadline.

you seem really stressed right now, so maybe you should try to do something more relaxing

Recent Examples on the Web

Indian consumers saw their stress levels lessen by 1.3 percent, while those in the United Kingdom (UK) were 2.8-percent less stressed than the previous quarter. —Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 17 Apr. 2025

That might sound counterintuitive: Enough working parents are so stressed from juggling multiple responsibilities that the U.S. Surgeon General issued a mental health advisory on the topic in August. —Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 16 Apr. 2025

The one below may reveal the firefighter left behind and why Walker was so emphatic about how stressed fans should be about what’s ahead. —Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 9 Apr. 2025

Plus, research shows that remote workers are healthier and less stressed and that remote jobs are best for the company’s bottom line. —Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1973, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing stressed

• stressed been
• stressed BIN
• stressed-out

Rhymes for stressed

• abreast
• accessed
• addressed
• appressed
• armrest
• arrest
• assessed
• attest
• backrest
• behest
• bequest
• caressed