1
as in disturbing
causing worry or anxiety
distressing signs that another war might be imminent
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in uneasy
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings
the distressing habit of constantly fiddling with her hair
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of distressing
Literary Hub, 4 May 2026
Most of the film’s other resemblances, of which there are many, prove less distressing.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 28 Apr. 2026
This sideboard looks like an heirloom piece with its visible woodgrain, antique hardware, and subtle distressing.
—Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 25 Apr. 2026
Similarly, tax algorithmic amplification of distressing content and hyper-personalized targeting of minors so kids’ vulnerabilities and fears aren’t unnecessarily fueled for profit.
—Larz May, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2026
Somewhat distressing at the national level were the 24 states that experienced job market dips over the past year.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 16 Apr. 2026
While some progress has been made on the Northwest Side, including the removal of the Legion Park encampment, the problem is still visible and distressing in other parks.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
The armed men also burned the local police station and a police vehicle and stole livestock, adding to the already distressing outlook of widespread hunger remaining in Haiti through the end of June.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2026
Tired of distressing headlines?
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2026
Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026
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
Adjective
Her fiction has long been characterized by gruesome imagery and body horror, often sustained by characters whose psychological torment proves even more distressing than their physical conditions.
—Literary Hub, 4 May 2026
Most of the film’s other resemblances, of which there are many, prove less distressing.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 28 Apr. 2026
This sideboard looks like an heirloom piece with its visible woodgrain, antique hardware, and subtle distressing.
—Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 25 Apr. 2026
Similarly, tax algorithmic amplification of distressing content and hyper-personalized targeting of minors so kids’ vulnerabilities and fears aren’t unnecessarily fueled for profit.
—Larz May, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2026
Somewhat distressing at the national level were the 24 states that experienced job market dips over the past year.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 16 Apr. 2026
While some progress has been made on the Northwest Side, including the removal of the Legion Park encampment, the problem is still visible and distressing in other parks.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
The armed men also burned the local police station and a police vehicle and stole livestock, adding to the already distressing outlook of widespread hunger remaining in Haiti through the end of June.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2026
Tired of distressing headlines?
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2026
Verb
Thieves have tried to break into Taylor Minatogawa’s business five times in the last two months, distressing him so much he’s spent at least a dozen nights inside his shop keeping guard.
—Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026
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
-
Fetish camboy Aaron Eagle (Kieron Moore) agrees to spend the night with an anonymous client, only to discover a disturbing tie to his past.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
10 May 2026
-
In the spring of 2018, federal prosecutors arrested both Raniere and Mack (along with four other individuals) and leveled disturbing accusations against the pair.—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
9 May 2026
Adjective
-
Bojorquez said Jones was a brave officer who had made a tragic mistake while rushing to the aid of victims.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
-
That’s especially true in the tragic murder of 7-year-old Athena Strand.—
Nicole Russell,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
There, migrant labor, economic need and repressed desire collide, especially through his uneasy bond with Arvydas, a Czech co-worker whose open homophobia masks darker tensions.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
11 May 2026
-
The landfill theory made some birding enthusiasts uneasy and prompted some authorities, locals and others to defend Ushuaia, a city of nearly 85,000 that draws tourists to its Antarctic cruise ships and abundant, watchworthy bird population.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
The alerts were triggered by the severe thunderstorm moving through the area, alarming some residents who were unaware the city’s siren system now also goes off when a severe weather warning is issued by the National Weather Service.—
Gloria Casas,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Midway through my massage, the boat unmoored itself and set sail—setting off an initially alarming vibrating bed and whirring engine noise.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Freida has a rare ability to draw readers – and viewers – into an unsettling sense of comfort, before brilliantly pulling the rug from under them.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
7 May 2026
-
Freida has a rare ability to draw readers — and viewers — into an unsettling sense of comfort, before brilliantly pulling the rug from under them.—
Ryan Gajewski,
HollywoodReporter,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
Lee said the incident is especially unfortunate, given the good work VCH does.—
Deborah Vankin,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
-
This is unfortunate and, from your telling, needlessly aggressive.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Mercury News,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
In Louisiana, nearly 180,000 early ballots for House races already cast won’t be counted under the redrawn districts, leaving voters like Sallie Davis anxious their votes won’t be tallied.—
John Hanna,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
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Viral genetics Researchers around the globe are also anxious to get the genomic data of the ANDV virus.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
The curators supply a historical backdrop, therefore, but discreetly, and without distracting us from Wright’s poetic originality.—
Julian Bell,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The Living Room also extends outdoors to the rooftop Terrazzo Bar with views that are almost too distracting.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Distressing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distressing. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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