stressful

adjective

stress·​ful ˈstres-fəl 

: full of or tending to induce stress

stressfully

ˈstres-fə-lē 

adverb

Examples of stressful in a Sentence

I had a stressful day at work today.

Recent Examples on the Web

By making the encounter stressful, biologists hope the bear will leave the neighborhood, head back into wild habitat, and think twice before returning for another easy meal from a dumpster or trash can. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 5 Aug. 2026

But the three women kept going, and after several more stressful minutes, they all got signed up. — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 5 Aug. 2026

Back-to-school shopping doesn't have to break your budget or be stressful. — Casey Delbasso, ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026

On top of that, many schools have kids spending lots of time on screens, even though staring at them for long periods can be stressful and exhausting. — Kara Alaimo, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for stressful

• distressful
• successful
• unsuccessful

Kids Definition

stressful

adjective

stress·​ful ˈstres-fəl 

: full of or tending to cause stress

stressfully

-fə-lē 

adverb

Medical Definition

stressful

adjective

stress·​ful ˈstres-fəl 

: full of or subject to stress

stressful situations

stressfully

-fə-lē 

adverb