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
-
This approach also conveys empathy, showing that a provider understands the pains of its customers.—
Arthur Azizov,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2026
-
Moving your body before bedtime can help alleviate aches and pains.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
The idea that there can be any kind of misalignment between them, though, disturbs her.—
Cressida Leyshon,
New Yorker,
24 May 2026
-
An intense exchange disturbs peace on the job as Mercury and Pluto clash.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
5 May 2026
Noun
-
Although the novel’s center does not quite hold, O’Farrell’s emotional intelligence — the heart and heat of her characters — braces this sometimes unwieldy chronicle of a nation that has been subject to cumbrous historic agonies.—
Rachel Vorona Cote,
Vulture,
2 June 2026
-
The agonies of the day were only intermittently audible in the music on offer in Witten.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
In New York, there's no worry; no one bothers us.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
People.com,
30 July 2025
-
If that higher monthly electricity bill bothers you, call Energy Secretary Chris Wright.—
Thomas L. Friedman,
Mercury News,
9 July 2025
Noun
-
The sad thing is that the miseries return, but there is no other Garrincha available.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
-
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
Verb
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Rebecca worries about her husband, whose work as a mechanic can be dangerous.—
Andrew Jones,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
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Greene worries that rising prices and the disappearance of mass-market paperbacks could create a future where fewer readers take chances on unfamiliar authors.—
Josh Rivera,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
Verb
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Chasing the mirage of consciousness distracts from the urgent task of building AI that helps humans without pretending to be human.—
Ron Schmelzer,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
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Others argue that focusing on AI welfare distracts from urgent human concerns.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
19 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The loss concerns an avid birder like Gang.—
Noel Brennan,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
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Lawmaker concerns over wait times persist Bisignano's testimony comes more than one year after he was sworn in to lead the Social Security Administration in May 2025.—
Lorie Konish,
CNBC,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Distresses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distresses. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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