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
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Across its run, The Witcher has traced the uneasy bond between Geralt of Rivia (Liam Hemsworth), the monster hunter bound by destiny; Ciri (Freya Allan), the princess whose power could save or destroy worlds; and Yennefer (Anya Chalotra), the sorceress torn between ambition and love.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
30 Oct. 2025
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In the Odyssey, Homer depicts Helen and Menelaus’s reunion as uneasy and sometimes tearful, after years of estrangement.—
Elizabeth D. Samet,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Add stories of famous guests, tragic events or paranormal occurrences, and for curiosity seekers and those searching for a possible supernatural experience, here are some great places to explore.—
Noreen Kompanik,
Boston Herald,
26 Oct. 2025
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The confession struck him as both raw and deeply tragic, a glimpse of how ambition hardens into captivity.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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So much of what happens in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is disturbing — in particular, the character of Leatherface, the menacing, basement-dwelling killer who eats people and wears their faces after killing them.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
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What makes this even more disturbing is the involvement of teenagers, alcohol, and guns at a large house party.—
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Overall, prosecutors allege the nearly three-dozen defendants cheated unfortunate players out of at least $7 million.—
Ben Brachfeld,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
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The knee injury marks an unfortunate end to Duck’s second season.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The dramatic incident comes during an already tense period in aviation, with significant delays and staffing shortages due to the government shutdown.—
Cindy Von Quednow,
CNN Money,
28 Oct. 2025
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Her boyfriend left the party early, and things were tense between them afterward.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Louise Hémon The jury would also like to acknowledge a director whose film transported us into an extreme landscape, and created an unsettling atmosphere that kept us contemplating the nature of lust, education, and violence.—
Christian Blauvelt,
IndieWire,
24 Oct. 2025
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Soon, though, her world is turned upside down by an unsettling and persistent stalker — or just a figment of her own fracturing psyche.—
Chris Snellgrove,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Some men avoid the gym or the beach altogether, wear baggy shirts year-round or feel anxious about intimacy.—
Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt,
CNN Money,
26 Oct. 2025
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Ottosson says reading the script was an anxious experience in itself.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The dogs' job on marathon day will be to calm race-day jitters at the starting line, where runners can feel overwhelmed or nervous about the trek ahead.—
Kelli Bender,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
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There was a lot of nervous smiling.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Distressful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distressful. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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