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
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
Omar Abbosh, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2026
Even though most people understand how important an emergency fund is, things like rising costs and the stress of unexpected bills can make saving difficult.
—Jorge Soberón-Hernández, Kansas City Star, 6 Apr. 2026
Heather Bien, Southern Living, 5 Apr. 2026
Many of those animals are surrendered when their owners can no longer properly care for them, an issue that Alessandro Catenazzi, associate professor of biological science at Florida International University, stressed.
—Julian Camejo, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stress
Noun
Automation can increase intensity and stress rather than productivity.
—Omar Abbosh, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2026
Even though most people understand how important an emergency fund is, things like rising costs and the stress of unexpected bills can make saving difficult.
—Jorge Soberón-Hernández, Kansas City Star, 6 Apr. 2026
Verb
Avoid Transplant Shock Transplanting a hydrangea at the wrong time of year stresses the plant and affects the next bloom.
—Heather Bien, Southern Living, 5 Apr. 2026
Many of those animals are surrendered when their owners can no longer properly care for them, an issue that Alessandro Catenazzi, associate professor of biological science at Florida International University, stressed.
—Julian Camejo, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stress
Noun
-
The test Wednesday was designed find out if helium was leaking into the oxygen lines of the isolated manifold, thus raising pressure as observed.—
William Harwood,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Bin Sulayem stepped down from his post as DP World’s chairman and chief executive in February this year, following immense pressure regarding his relationship with Epstein.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Holafly is a great option that puts an emphasis on unlimited data plans for Mexico, Europe, Japan, China and over 160 other destinations.—
Liz Knueven,Ryley Amond,
CNBC,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Industry insiders say the move reflects a growing emphasis on fast, casual dining that better fits modern travel habits.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But Murray worries about upholding his best friend’s wishes.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Horner also talked about being concerned about losing his job, wanting to see his child and worrying about what was going to happen to him, Espinoza said.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Baugh, too, emphasized the generational divide.—
Antonia Hitchens,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
This emphasizes the attackers more.—
PJ Green
April 5,
Kansas City Star,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Wall Street analysts have highlighted that dollar dominance is anchored by the greenback’s use as the standard currency in the global oil trade.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Welcome to the Friday, April 10, 2026, private school baseball and softball edition of the Fastball, a Star-Telegram series highlighting Fort Worth-area teams.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Military under severe strain The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) last month diverted a combat battalion from the northern border with Lebanon to the West Bank amid the wartime surge in settler violence.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2026
-
But beneath that dominance, the conditions that have long sustained the region’s success — a steady influx of workers, accessible pathways into the economy and functioning public systems — are showing signs of strain.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The storm, which hit the New York area in October, 2012, unlocked billions of dollars in resilience spending, with hurricanes, rather than heat waves or cloudbursts, as the focus.—
Eric Klinenberg,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
But Shanxi's major focus and biggest success for life after coal has been tourism.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Further reinforcing the overlap, businesses and residents increasingly are fleeing high taxes and prices in Illinois for a lower cost of living in Indiana.—
Robert McCoppin,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Apr. 2026
-
It's formulated with the label's game-changing Alpha Keratin 60KU, which nourishes the scalp, repairs damage, and reinforces hair strength.—
Tamim Alnuweiri,
InStyle,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stress. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
