stressful

adjective

stress·​ful ˈstres-fəl How to pronounce stressful (audio)
Synonyms of stressfulnext
: 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.
But then comes the skiing, which is typically more nerve-wracking and stressful and woowee! Frederick Dreier, Outside, 3 Mar. 2026 In practice, the loans function much like a tax – repayments are collected through the tax system – and proponents argue that presenting them with a future tax obligation is less stressful than being saddled with a large debt. The Week Uk, TheWeek, 1 Mar. 2026 But one of the stressful things about mahjong, or really planning any get together, is the where. Charlotte Observer, 1 Mar. 2026 Saturday’s overtime match was a little stressful for Cunningham. Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 1 Mar. 2026 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 6 Mar. 2026.

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

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