stress 1 of 2

noun

ˈstres How to pronounce stress (audio)
Definition of stressnext
1
as in pressure
the burden on one's emotional or mental well-being created by demands on one's time with a full-time job and her college courses, the young woman is under a lot of stress right now

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in emphasis
a special notice or importance given to something the company's orientation program places considerable stress on workplace safety

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

stress

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to worry
to experience concern or anxiety the restaurant manager has a tendency to stress about every little thing that goes wrong

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to emphasize
to make more apparent his bad performance only stressed what I'd been saying all along

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to highlight
to indicate the importance of by centering attention on the doctor stressed the importance of exercise

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of stress
Noun
First and foremost, breaks from the stress and toil of work are essential components of healing from burnout. — Dj Didonna, Time, 13 July 2026 Cascading waterfall spouts that line the middle of the pool, meantime, are specially angled to target stress points on your body. — Tim Chan, HollywoodReporter, 12 July 2026
Verb
Investigators stressed that no official cause has been determined and that the vessel's recovery could be critical to understanding what happened. — James Ward, USA Today, 18 July 2026 Bernie stressed that low levels during a testosterone screening do not automatically indicate a need for testosterone replacement therapy. — Mason Leib, ABC News, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for stress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stress
  1. pressure
  2. emphasis
  3. worry
  4. emphasize
  5. highlight
  6. strain
  7. focus
  8. reinforce
Noun
  • Aquarius has played host to researchers observing the marine life around them, studying the effects of long term pressure on the human body, learning best practices for remote robotic surgery and even growing food and fungi underwater.
    — Alex Harris July 15, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026
  • Lamine Yamal gets last laugh Spain winger Lamine Yamal put pressure on his teammates with some of his prematch trash talk.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026
Definition of pressure
Noun
  • Parts of the hotel date to the 14th century and one can gaze out at the spires and listen to church bells, but the atmosphere is contemporary with an emphasis on food and drink and sleeping rooms with art from ownership's private collection.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 July 2026
  • But there are also real differences in both style and emphasis, and this would be a way to bridge them—to announce, in short, that these views are not too disparate to animate the same Administration.
    — Bill McKibben, New Yorker, 16 July 2026
Definition of emphasis
Verb
  • Public polls have shown him with an early lead over Collins, and key Republicans worry about their chances in what was once seen as one of the GOP’s best pickup opportunities.
    — Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 15 July 2026
  • Later, Feinmann said his words were not directed at the Mexican people — while musing that Sheinbaum had bigger things to worry about, like combating narco-trafficking, violence and corruption.
    — Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026
Definition of worry
Verb
  • Doctors are emphasizing the importance of minimizing your time in the smoke as much as possible.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
  • In its presentation in May, Spirit emphasized that Avon needs more affordable housing.
    — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 17 July 2026
Definition of emphasize
Verb
  • Raftelis highlighted the November caseload for one probation officer who had a total of 753 cases under their supervision.
    — Nathan Pilling July 15, Kansas City Star, 15 July 2026
  • The complaint specifically highlights Barros’ current role leading the MCCA — a quasi–state entity in which DCAMM officials sit on its Board of Directors.
    — Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 15 July 2026
Definition of highlight
Noun
  • First baseman Tommy White made his Major League debut while All-Star first baseman Nick Kurtz remains out with a right thumb capsule strain.
    — Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 18 July 2026
  • However, the crew’s efforts are vital to reducing the overall impact of Canadian wildfires, as the strain on wildfire-fighting resources is contributing to larger, longer-lasting fires.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 18 July 2026
Definition of strain
Noun
  • Iran’s feat here has wider geopolitical implications about American power and focus.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
  • Ukraine’s relative successes on parts of the front line this year, such as successful localized counteroffensives in Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia, can be credited in part to Syrsky’s focus on cultivating manpower and forming assault groups.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 16 July 2026
Definition of focus
Verb
  • The Athletics have been the worst team in Major League Baseball for nearly two months and reinforced that point Friday night in their first game since the All-Star break.
    — Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 18 July 2026
  • Reinaldo Dias da Rocha, who is from the same community, said his father had already encouraged him not to hunt sharks, but the project had reinforced the importance of preserving the animals.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 July 2026
Definition of reinforce

Browse Nearby Words

strenuously
stress
stressed
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Cite this Entry

“Stress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stress. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on stress

Nglish: Translation of stress for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about stress

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