as in pains
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
as in disturbs
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
don't let all the bad news distress you
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of distresses
Amber Gaudet, Charlotte Observer, 6 May 2026
Verb
About 6 million Americans had opioid use disorder — a problematic pattern of opioid use that significantly impairs or distresses a patient — as of 2022, according to the CDC.
—Amber Gaudet, Charlotte Observer, 6 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distresses
Noun
-
Ebola causes a hemorrhagic fever, with symptoms that start with fever, aches, pains and fatigue before progressing to diarrhea, vomiting and bleeding, according to the public health agency.—
Zachary Folk,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
-
But in the four years between the two terms, Xi had taken pains to ensure this tactic would no longer work, with export controls on rare earth metals that are indispensable to American arms manufacturers and carmakers.—
Rob Crilly,
The Washington Examiner,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
The worms thrash and move erratically with a snake-like motion that disturbs the topsoil.—
Maria Braganini,
CBS News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
There are lots of things weightlessness disturbs, even in the short run.—
Elizabeth Howell,
Space.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
And yet, in the scene on the Hill of Love, Lapid offers no self-questioning, no sense of cinematic exertion or trouble, in the fictional framing of the real agonies of Gaza.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The celebrated poet and memoirist, delves into the agonies of her decision and describes the emerging women’s liberation movement, of which Moore would soon become a participant.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
And if someone bothers Anaia, Racine is there to fight for her.—
Jourdain Searles,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
-
An unconventional structure or new approach bothers them not a whit.—
Mac Barnett,
Longreads,
5 May 2026
Noun
-
The parallels between Ines’ dilemma and that of a nation being asked to lick its wounds in silence — in the name of moving on from past miseries — are present but elusive.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
14 May 2026
-
For those millions of Americans, spring weather brings sniffles, itchy eyes, asthma exacerbation, and other miseries, with effects ranging from mild symptoms to serious medical emergencies.—
Keerti Gopal,
ArsTechnica,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Sheppard worries about possible injury or burnout as Gout grows.—
Jon Wertheim,
CBS News,
10 May 2026
-
That’s also the gap that worries Ben Mizes, president of Clever Real Estate.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Their romance distracts Berlin, who is usually focused and more emotionally detached.—
Isabella Wandermurem,
Time,
15 May 2026
-
Trump is renowned for his transanctionalism and willingness to deal with anybody if the dollar signs are there, but, when immigrants are involved, his interest in exclusion distracts him from the bottom line.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Neil Chilson, head of AI policy at the Abundance Institute, tells me what concerns him about this power struggle.—
Benjamin Guggenheim,
Washington Post,
12 May 2026
-
The story concerns a grieving father who, after losing his wife, sends a message out into the stars…and something out there starts to talk back.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Distresses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distresses. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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