DISTRAUGHT Synonyms: 60 Similar and Opposite Words

distraught

adjective

di-ˈstrȯt

Definition of distraught

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

Relevance

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 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 Carney's grieving sister, Devon, wearing a Kerry GAA jersey and clutching a sunflower, was distraught as family members gathered around the hearse. — Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 15 July 2026 Claudia Morton, who lives near Durán Guerrero and his family and often waved to him, was distraught over the shooting. — Arkansas Online, 14 July 2026 On December 2, 1717, a distraught George Augustus and Caroline packed up their household and said goodbye to their children. — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for distraught

Recent Examples of Synonyms for distraught

Adjective

Officers described the videos recorded by that camera, writing that Westman seemed agitated after a visit with family and at times sobbed before driving by the church and school the night before the attack.

— ABC News, ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026
This has driven some agitated investors to see parallels between the current market and the conditions leading up to the dot-com crash of 2000-2002, when the overall S&P 500 lost nearly half its value.

— Joe D'Allegro, CNBC, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of agitated

Adjective

It’s mainly centered on Billie, who is worried about an old Facebook post standing in the way of finding a job.

— Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
The Middle East has long worried about its dependence on the United States and has thus been diversifying its partnerships since the Arab Spring, in 2011.

— Dina Esfandiary, Foreign Affairs, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of worried

Adjective

In the second test, 12 dogs were shown happy faces, as well as sad, frightened, and angry ones.

— Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 28 Aug. 2026
Hilton’s sister, Barbara Giarraffa, frightened fans and TikTok moderators were among those who called authorities.

— Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of frightened

Adjective

Instead, coaches have become more and more terrified through the years of seeing their players getting hurt during largely meaningless games in August.

— Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Tempe police ultimately convinced the couple, who were initially too terrified to report the incident, to share what had happened to them, documents said.

— Perry Vandell, AZCentral.com, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of terrified

Adjective

Common signs that your dog may be sensitive to something in their food can include frequent scratching, paw licking, gas, loose stools, occasional digestive upset, or changes in coat quality.

— Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
The thinking is that orbital data centers can leapfrog past some of the ground-level issues such as where to build them, and upset communities that don’t want to host data centers, despite their municipalities making deals for construction.

— Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of upset

Browse Nearby Words

distrait

distraught

distress

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Distraught.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distraught. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of distraught

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

dissonant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes