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distressing

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verb

present participle of distress

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for distressing
Adjective
  • This is a dark and disturbing script that, circa 1996, would have been better handled by Darren Aronofsky or David Fincher.
    Brian Smolensky and James Mercadante, EW.com, 27 Jan. 2025
  • Nakamura, the father, was interned along with his Japanese American family during WWII, a shameful and disturbing period in 20th-century American history that has never been fully acknowledged or dealt with on a national level.
    Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 27 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Following the tragic deaths of his parents in the D.C. crash, it was announced via X on Jan. 27 Maxim had withdrawn from the Four Continents Championships, which would've been his final figure skating event this season.
    Lawrence Yee, People.com, 2 Feb. 2025
  • Our prayers are with the families, friends, neighbors and all of those impacted by the tragic crash.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 2 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Seeing Riley gain so much notoriety and money made some people uneasy.
    Doc Louallen, ABC News, 31 Jan. 2025
  • How Passengers React to Unusual In-Flight Situations While the OP's flight ended without incident, situations like these often make passengers uneasy.
    John Yoo and John Shu, Newsweek, 23 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • The Cost of Care Report, by the Numbers Dr. Murthy’s advisory was unsettling yet validating for many, including Lacey.
    Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 29 Jan. 2025
  • Bottom line While hair loss or thinning associated with medication can be unsettling, these effects are usually temporary and can often be helped with hair growth supplements or medication adjustments cleared by your doctor.
    Leslie Baumann, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Jeep so far wants to keep pricing for those lower-spec Wagoneer EVs under wraps, though, even if the heart of the run will undoubtedly help the first electric Jeep more effectively escape from unfortunate comparisons to such stiff competition.
    Michael Teo Van Runkle, Ars Technica, 27 Jan. 2025
  • Metro Denver's office vacancy rate is reaching new — and unfortunate — highs.
    Esteban L. Hernandez, Axios, 27 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Related article More kids are anxious but fewer are getting the right help, study shows New fears and anxieties tend to develop and vary as children and adolescents grow and adapt to new environments, Silverman said.
    Julianna Bragg, CNN, 5 Feb. 2025
  • The person in question has legal status and was feeling anxious about the Trump administration's hardline immigration agenda.
    Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Newsweek, 4 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • This is a clever way to offer a dual-screen experience without the flaws inherent to current dual-screen laptops, including distracting hinges and designs with questionable durability.
    Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 7 Jan. 2025
  • In a car, this could be used to hide distracting entertainment displays from the driver while passengers are able to see information such as music playlists or calendar alerts, for example.
    Barry Collins, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • But the obvious and troubling implication is that people who joined while Joe Biden was president are at greater risk of losing their job.
    Shane Harris, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2025
  • During the 1985 Christmas season, a coal merchant in an Irish village makes a troubling discovery.
    The California Independent Booksellers Alliance, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2025
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near distressing

Cite this Entry

“Distressing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distressing. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.

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