stressful

adjective

stress·​ful ˈstres-fəl How to pronounce stressful (audio)
: full of or tending to induce stress
stressfully adverb

Examples of stressful in a Sentence

I had a stressful day at work today.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Timothée Chalamet just made the most stressful film you're ever bound to see about table tennis. Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 7 Oct. 2025 For some, this makes thrifting a stressful proposition, and that stress can lead to bad behavior—and bad manners. Heather Bien, Southern Living, 4 Oct. 2025 Because being a football manager increasingly seems a disproportionately stressful experience, and more difficult to control than ever before. Nick Miller, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025 While Aston Villa ultimately lost the quarterfinal with an aggregate score of 5-4, the memories with his son made the stressful matches more than worth it. Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stressful

Word History

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stressful was in 1846

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stressful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stressful. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

stressful

adjective
stress·​ful ˈstres-fəl How to pronounce stressful (audio)
: full of or tending to cause stress
stressfully adverb

Medical Definition

stressful

adjective
stress·​ful ˈstres-fəl How to pronounce stressful (audio)
: full of or subject to stress
stressful situations
stressfully adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on stressful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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