: 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

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 With such a widespread area facing extreme temperatures, energy demand will continue to be very stressed, according to AccuWeather senior meteorologist Alan Reppert. Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 22 Aug. 2023 Veterinarians then realized the birds’ efforts to free themselves from the tar led to capture myopathy — muscle damage and atrophy caused by a stressed animal’s extreme struggling. Vanessa Arredondo, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2023 Already feeling stressed from the massive expectations on her, along with the isolation created by COVID restrictions, the suggestion heightened Biles’ anxiety. USA TODAY, 24 Aug. 2023 In states like Arizona that depend on the stressed Colorado River, how and what farmers choose to grow has taken on new importance. Stephen Robert Miller, The New Republic, 9 Aug. 2023 However, families with new babies (especially first children) sometimes feel stressed to the breaking point. Amy Dickinson, Detroit Free Press, 1 Sep. 2023 Take Minneapolis, where many of the stressed loans are concentrated in downtown buildings struggling to attract new customers. Rachel Siegel, Washington Post, 28 Aug. 2023 Throughout the year, Atwell said DAS and other shelters in the area are in search of volunteers to play with animals that feel stressed at the shelter. Noor Adatia, Dallas News, 14 July 2023 So at this point, the sleep disruptions were getting to people — everyone seemed pretty stressed about it. Laura Thompson, Curbed, 10 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stressed.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1973, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stressed was in 1973

Dictionary Entries Near stressed

Cite this Entry

“Stressed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stressed. Accessed 29 Sep. 2023.

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