1
as in disturbing
causing worry or anxiety
distressing signs that another war might be imminent
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tragic
of a kind to cause great distress
the distressing death of our favorite actor
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3
as in uneasy
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings
the distressing habit of constantly fiddling with her hair
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in alarming
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
don't let all the bad news distress you
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of distressing
Katie Whyatt, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
More distressing is the larger cultural shift away from reading for pleasure.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 5 Jan. 2026
Despite the distressing records, water managers pointed out the season is far from over.
—Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 30 Dec. 2025
The footage is both alarming and extremely distressing.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 26 Dec. 2025
The footage is both alarming and extremely distressing.
—Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 25 Dec. 2025
While there are varied reasons for those decisions made by schools including Kansas and Kansas State, all reflect an increasingly distressing state of flux and chaos in college sports and football in particular.
—Kansas City Star, 18 Dec. 2025
Leggy palazzo jeans and denim trousers with distressing, embellishment, or a bold print will do the trick.
—Alison Syrett Cleary, Glamour, 18 Dec. 2025
One study even found that individuals with no prior trauma who watched distressing news reports showed symptoms of secondary traumatic stress, such as anxiety, nightmares, and feelings of helplessness.
—Kriti Gupta, Refinery29, 17 Dec. 2025
Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
In the past, Mia had suffered from obsessive compulsive disorder and intrusive, distressing thoughts.
—Katie Whyatt, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
More distressing is the larger cultural shift away from reading for pleasure.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 5 Jan. 2026
Despite the distressing records, water managers pointed out the season is far from over.
—Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 30 Dec. 2025
The footage is both alarming and extremely distressing.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 26 Dec. 2025
The footage is both alarming and extremely distressing.
—Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 25 Dec. 2025
While there are varied reasons for those decisions made by schools including Kansas and Kansas State, all reflect an increasingly distressing state of flux and chaos in college sports and football in particular.
—Kansas City Star, 18 Dec. 2025
Leggy palazzo jeans and denim trousers with distressing, embellishment, or a bold print will do the trick.
—Alison Syrett Cleary, Glamour, 18 Dec. 2025
One study even found that individuals with no prior trauma who watched distressing news reports showed symptoms of secondary traumatic stress, such as anxiety, nightmares, and feelings of helplessness.
—Kriti Gupta, Refinery29, 17 Dec. 2025
Verb
Its mid-rise Harlow jeans are composed of a cotton and elastane blend, with a powder-blue hue and strategic hints of distressing down the leg.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distressing
Adjective
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Despite already having declared her candidacy, McKnight voiced disturbing and violent threats against Sheehy.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Nov. 2025
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This story contains a description of a shooting some readers may find disturbing.—
Omar Jimenez,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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In his first interview since the tragic events in May, Cacique, a Spanish nickname given to a local boss, said the turncoats hoped to receive a reward for the capture of Robert Colina, whose alias was Pantera, Spanish for panther.—
Antonio Maria Delgado,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
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Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott joined the rest of his teammates in having a tough day Thursday after learning of the tragic death of defensive lineman Marshawn Kneeland, who took his own life at the end of a police chase in Frisco.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Neighbors fear rising violence Residents said the shooting has left them uneasy.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Jan. 2026
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But by evening, an uneasy calm had settled across the city.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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While a small sample size, the historical record for what happens after the S & P 500 has a down month after a seven-month win streak is more reassuring than alarming for the near term.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
5 Jan. 2026
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China’s increasingly advanced military capabilities are alarming the West and reshaping the global balance of naval power, analysts said.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Compared to the swooning Gothic romance of Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula, Kenneth Branagh’s Frankenstein is just too perverse — in an unsettling way.—
Katie Rife,
Vulture,
9 Nov. 2025
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At the same time, the detective assigned to the case begins to uncover secrets about Scout, along with an unsettling breakthrough in Georgia’s death.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Their late concession of the winning penalty to Morgan Gibbs-White, above, was unfortunate.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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Many unfortunate events were blamed on poison—the unexpected death of an enslaver or a slave, a spate of local deaths due to a virus or other disease, or problems on the plantation such as ill livestock or bad harvests.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The self-laceration is done on Damon Albarn Time, though, as Idles’ usual anxious guitar rave-ups are slowed and stripped here to a skipping, reggae-ish crawl, as synths squeak in the background and Albarn offers support via his forever-distant, disembodied backing vocals.—
Andrew Unterberger,
Billboard,
7 Nov. 2025
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Obviously, Meghan’s anxious about it.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Writing essays, in the same way, lubricates my writing of fiction and vice versa—by distracting me and taking my thoughts elsewhere.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Jan. 2026
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The glare from the sun had been reflecting in the lenses and distracting Smith.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Distressing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distressing. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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