1
as in agony
a state of great suffering of body or mind
the upcoming bar exam is causing us considerable distress the survivors were in extreme distress after having been stranded on the island for a week with no food
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in risk
the state of not being protected from injury, harm, or evil
a ship in distress
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to alarm
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
don't let all the bad news distress you
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of distress
David Chiu, People.com, 25 June 2025
The therapy was developed by psychologist Francine Shapiro in the 1980s to help people alleviate distress around painful memories.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 24 June 2025
William Baldwin, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025
Now onto the bad, which is particularly distressing: Baltimore.
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for distress
Noun
The sinking comes weeks after the Coast Guard received a distress alert on June 3 that a fire occurred onboard the Morning Midas.
—David Chiu, People.com, 25 June 2025
The therapy was developed by psychologist Francine Shapiro in the 1980s to help people alleviate distress around painful memories.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 24 June 2025
Verb
His job, which took him back to his native New Orleans, was working out problems at municipal entities distressed by Hurricane Katrina.
—William Baldwin, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025
Now onto the bad, which is particularly distressing: Baltimore.
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for distress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distress
Noun
-
But playing with an already-strained right calf, the Oshkosh, Wis., native stepped awkwardly towards the basket and crumbled to the court in agony when his leg appeared to pop.—
Sean Neumann,
People.com,
24 June 2025
-
Finding alternatives that would end this agony would be one of American science’s most important achievements.—
Rachel Fobar,
Vox,
14 May 2025
Noun
-
Because all of the major waves of selling in the wake of some incident of uncertainty were caused by momentary risk that did not ultimately threaten stocks, or the banking system — or, ultimately, the economy.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
23 June 2025
-
If a child is experiencing an acute mental health crisis such as suicidal ideation or self-harm, Miller says most states allow the parent to act alone, especially if delaying poses a safety risk.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
23 June 2025
Verb
-
The man, wearing a black polo and slacks, looked up from a table saw, alarmed.—
Dan Greene,
New Yorker,
21 June 2025
-
The potential downside of glucose monitoring is that people who are (perhaps needlessly) alarmed by their CGM data will swap out healthy carbs such as fruit and whole grains for foods that are less healthy—butter, for example, or bacon and red meat.—
Olga Khazan,
The Atlantic,
19 June 2025
Noun
-
Drawing heavily from Qiu’s biography, My Father’s Son centers on an 18-year-old protagonist, Qiao, who loses his voice while attempting to deliver the eulogy at his father’s funeral and flees in anguish.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
19 June 2025
-
Many of us watch in anguish as our compatriots abandon their homes, desperate for a safe haven beyond the reach of oppression and destruction.—
Nazanin Boniadi,
Time,
17 June 2025
Noun
-
This temperature range is considered the danger zone.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
27 June 2025
-
The real danger here isn’t that LLaMA can write a Silverman-style joke.—
Aron Solomon
June 27,
Literary Hub,
27 June 2025
Verb
-
The report was issued Tuesday at 12:51 a.m., and the last update concerning this incident was provided on Tuesday at 12:53 a.m.—
Kansas City Star Bot
Updated July 1,
Kansas City Star,
1 July 2025
-
As far as the luxury tax is concerned, deferred money is discounted annually during the term of the contract.—
Barry M. Bloom,
Sportico.com,
1 July 2025
Noun
-
The class encompasses information about exercises to prepare the mother for birth, relaxation and coping techniques, pain control options, labor positioning, induction and C-section basics, recovery and welcoming baby.—
Orlando Sentinel Staff,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 June 2025
-
The effects can be diminished by drinking eight to 10 glasses of water per day, taking pain medications, blood transfusions, folic acid or a combination of other medications.—
Jane Tyska,
Mercury News,
25 June 2025
Noun
-
During the season finale, the family's lives are put in jeopardy On The Waterfront, danger is around every dock.—
Keith Langston,
People.com,
21 June 2025
-
With the fire still at zero percent containment and thousands of acres burned in a matter of hours, the situation placed lives and homes in immediate jeopardy.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Distress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distress. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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