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

The beloved producer is back with a new series, Étoile, that focuses on two stressed ballet company directors who decide to swap their Parisian and New York City dancers in an effort to refresh their programming. —Rebecca Aizin, People.com, 25 Apr. 2025

The goal is to be prepared, but not overly stressed. —Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 4 Apr. 2025

Every line is propelled by the cadence of stressed and unstressed syllables. —A.o. Scott, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025

Despite having more on her plate, Orea seemed less stressed. —Rebecca Plevin, Los Angeles Times, 28 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