✨📕 The NEWThe NEW Collegiate Dictionary, 12th Edition Over 5,000 words added — Buy Now! Collegiate DictionaryBuy Now!

stressor

noun

stress·​or ˈstre-sər How to pronounce stressor (audio) -ˌsȯr How to pronounce stressor (audio)
: a stimulus that causes stress

Examples of stressor in a Sentence

Credit card debt is a major stressor in her life.
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.
For years, packing was my biggest travel stressor. Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 1 Dec. 2025 Same income, perhaps, radically different decision-making inputs and wealth effect stressors. Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 28 Nov. 2025 Some of those genes are involved in DNA repair, immune function, and stress response – changes that could potentially help an animal cope with environmental stressors, including radiation or chemical contamination. New Atlas, 27 Nov. 2025 About 89 percent of pet parents in New Hampshire felt travel separation anxiety was a key stressor. Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stressor

Word History

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stressor was in 1950

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stressor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stressor. Accessed 5 Dec. 2025.

Medical Definition

stressor

noun
stress·​or ˈstres-ər How to pronounce stressor (audio) -ˌȯ(ə)r How to pronounce stressor (audio)
: a stimulus that causes stress
psychological stressors
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!