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distraught

adjective

di-ˈstrȯt How to pronounce distraught (audio)
Definition of distraughtnext
as in agitated
feeling overwhelming fear or worry distraught relatives waiting to learn whether there were any survivors of the plane crash

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 distraught One distraught woman sat on the ground next to a large pool of blood as another woman embraced her. — John Annese, New York Daily News, 9 Aug. 2026 Some jurors cried while others looked distraught during the testimony. — Kristina Rex, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026 Leaving the Door Open For More S Pen fans were distraught when Samsung removed support for its beloved stylus from the Z Fold 7 in 2025. — Eric Zeman, PC Magazine, 22 July 2026 Laertes becomes deeply distraught over his son’s two-decade absence, a grief that had already claimed his wife, Odysseus’ mother, Anticlea. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 20 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for distraught
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distraught
  1. agitated
  2. worried
  3. frightened
  4. frantic
  5. scared
  6. terrified
  7. upset
Adjective
  • Migratory birds in captivity develop Zugunruhe, an agitated fitfulness, at certain times of year.
    — Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Following instructions from the kidnappers (unbeknownst to his increasingly agitated comrades), Lee drives out to meet them for the exchange, only to wreck his car and become distracted saving a nearby woman, Hua (Moon Lee).
    — Jake Cole, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of agitated
Adjective
  • Millions of amateur athletes play tackle football each year, and as evidence mounts at the professional level of the dangers of CTE, parents are increasingly worried about their children going into the sport.
    — Alexandra Pattillo, Scientific American, 23 Sep. 2026
  • At the start of the novel, when the Koh children, Bo, DH, and Mido, are struggling in Korean schools after years of living abroad, their mother, Helen, gets worried.
    — Sanjena Sathian, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of worried
Adjective
  • Nations are sustained not just by declarations and famous generals, but by less celebrated moments when frightened, exhausted people decide not to give up.
    — Harry Ostrer, New York Daily News, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Also at top of mind was the film’s sound design, which is deliberately used as another tool to make the audience feel frightened and uncomfortable.
    — William Earl, Variety, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of frightened
Adjective
  • Around her, Youth builds an impressively frantic web of relationships and plot snarls.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Stocks tied to the AI boom slumped on Monday after the three biggest AI bosses warned the frantic pace of model development needed to be slowed.
    — Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of frantic
Adjective
  • My parents were tense and distracted while my siblings were scared.
    — Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Some of the sellers took a real beating on the way out, because the negative articles were so persuasive and the owners so scared.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 13 Sep. 2026
Definition of scared
Adjective
  • That hasn’t changed; people are still terrified of me in one way or another.
    — Tiana DeNicola, Variety, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Nora was feeling less terrified of her former partner and increasingly hopeful that his abuse was in the past.
    — Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of terrified
Adjective
  • The council couldn’t ignore it because so many people were upset.
    — Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Sep. 2026
  • According to RadarOnline, some are upset that Spencer is looking to reopen old wounds at such a complicated time for Charles.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of upset

Browse Nearby Words

distrait
distraught
distress
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Distraught.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distraught. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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