1
as in uneasy
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings
the distressful period during which we waited to learn who had made the cut
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tragic
of a kind to cause great distress
the distressful living conditions in the refugee camp
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of distressful
And yet behind the distressful scene, a young man continues to butcher an animal.
—
Kaely Monahan, The Arizona Republic, 27 Mar. 2024
Despite the distressful news of Houston’s death that day, the event went forward to create a space for guests to mourn.
—Elizabeth Wagmeister, CNN, 2 Feb. 2024
But the results, Mr. Chancellor observes, were not as distressful for the rich as a medieval canonist might have hoped.
—Adam Rowe, WSJ, 12 Aug. 2022
Justice Harry Blackmun, who wrote for the Roe-affirming majority in 1973, included a brief list of the potential detriments of forcing women to carry pregnancies to term: Maternity, or additional offspring, may force upon the woman a distressful life and future.
—Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, The New Yorker, 6 July 2022
Kaely Monahan, The Arizona Republic, 27 Mar. 2024
Despite the distressful news of Houston’s death that day, the event went forward to create a space for guests to mourn.
—Elizabeth Wagmeister, CNN, 2 Feb. 2024
But the results, Mr. Chancellor observes, were not as distressful for the rich as a medieval canonist might have hoped.
—Adam Rowe, WSJ, 12 Aug. 2022
Justice Harry Blackmun, who wrote for the Roe-affirming majority in 1973, included a brief list of the potential detriments of forcing women to carry pregnancies to term: Maternity, or additional offspring, may force upon the woman a distressful life and future.
—Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, The New Yorker, 6 July 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distressful
Adjective
-
These memories of his brief, sad human life are uneasy dreams that Lestat wakes from on his tour bus as the sun sets over the road to Toledo.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
15 June 2026
-
On top of the tense, uneasy dynamic created by the duo’s pairing, the series is wrapped in a twisty web of peripheral problems.—
Matt Cabral,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
Alexander Davis, 34, of North Carolina, was a weapon systems officer for the 419th Flight Test Squadron, and had flown B-52 missions for years before the tragic crash that claimed his life.—
Reeti Malhotra,
Sacbee.com,
18 June 2026
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Her lawyer alleges that postpartum mental health issues caused the tragic result that night.—
Kristina Rex,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
Adjective
-
There’s another, more disturbing chapter in the book about Jack Webb, the star of Dragnet.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
13 June 2026
-
Chestnut said the most disturbing part is that scammers were trying to take advantage of families in a vulnerable moment.—
Tori Mason,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
So that was just an unfortunate situation, but everything’s OK.—
Zach Dean,
FOXNews.com,
12 June 2026
-
Getting into a dispute with your neighbor is an unfortunate but all-too-common predicament for many homeowners.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Even-handed, compassionate, and as suffocatingly tense as a hangman's noose, Munich is Spielberg's most underrated film.—
Chris Nashawaty,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 June 2026
-
And what begins as a bonding moment between Beulah and Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) quickly turns tense when Beulah touches a nerve by bringing up the Dutton family's complicated past.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
Nayyar played the socially anxious Raj Koothrappali, particle astrophysicist and BFF to Leonard.—
Grace Gavilanes,
PEOPLE,
15 June 2026
-
By our nature, we journalists are anxious to report fresh news, including the outcomes of elections.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
Even when those withdrawals are planned, seeing balances decrease can feel unsettling.—
Andrew Rosen,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
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Could Kadri, given the unsettling aspects of a trade and the finger injury, find a bump in play next year?—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
18 June 2026
Adjective
-
Fantasy managers were nervous about investing in Brown due to possible rotation but one per cent of them were rewarded with a goal, an assist and the scouting bonus.—
Holly Shand,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
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Hundreds of thousands of fans, sitting in bars throughout the city, watched televisions in nervous silence.—
Jenna Thompson
June 16,
Kansas City Star,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Distressful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distressful. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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