stress 1 of 2

noun

ˈstres How to pronounce stress (audio)
Definition of stressnext
1
as in pressure
the burden on one's emotional or mental well-being created by demands on one's time with a full-time job and her college courses, the young woman is under a lot of stress right now

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in emphasis
a special notice or importance given to something the company's orientation program places considerable stress on workplace safety

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

stress

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to worry
to experience concern or anxiety the restaurant manager has a tendency to stress about every little thing that goes wrong

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to emphasize
to make more apparent his bad performance only stressed what I'd been saying all along

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to highlight
to indicate the importance of by centering attention on the doctor stressed the importance of exercise

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of stress
Noun
Some of this is easy to spot, but AI can also validate a bad idea instead of stress-testing it. — Jill Schlesinger, Mercury News, 20 July 2026 These stresses put pressure on all of the existing, interconnected kingdoms in the Mediterranean. — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 20 July 2026
Verb
Investigators stressed that no official cause has been determined and that the vessel's recovery could be critical to understanding what happened. — James Ward, USA Today, 18 July 2026 Bernie stressed that low levels during a testosterone screening do not automatically indicate a need for testosterone replacement therapy. — Mason Leib, ABC News, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for stress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stress
  1. pressure
  2. emphasis
  3. worry
  4. emphasize
  5. highlight
  6. strain
  7. focus
  8. reinforce
Noun
  • Zepeda comes forward and throws volume, which is exactly the input Roach's counterpunching needs to look spectacular and exactly the pressure that has troubled him when the scorecards got close.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • The Yankees should see a mediocre American League as an opportunity for a second pennant in three years; Aaron Judge’s uncertain injury status applies more pressure to do something at the deadline to chase down the Rays in the AL East.
    — Tim Britton, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Definition of pressure
Noun
  • Parts of the hotel date to the 14th century and one can gaze out at the spires and listen to church bells, but the atmosphere is contemporary with an emphasis on food and drink and sleeping rooms with art from ownership's private collection.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 July 2026
  • But there are also real differences in both style and emphasis, and this would be a way to bridge them—to announce, in short, that these views are not too disparate to animate the same Administration.
    — Bill McKibben, New Yorker, 16 July 2026
Definition of emphasis
Verb
  • While supporters say this is necessary for the UC to remain a leader in STEM fields, critics worry these tests are biased against low-income and minority students.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 22 July 2026
  • Substantive verses are new terrain for Lacy, who, as a younger writer, worried more about hooks and beats.
    — Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 22 July 2026
Definition of worry
Verb
  • Doctors are emphasizing the importance of minimizing your time in the smoke as much as possible.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
  • In its presentation in May, Spirit emphasized that Avon needs more affordable housing.
    — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 17 July 2026
Definition of emphasize
Verb
  • These features, offering rewrite, proofread, and summarize options, appear as a contextual pop-up when text is highlighted.
    — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • Instead, most Republicans stood firm in a critical hearing with an administration waging a hugely unpopular war, while Democrats highlighted the gap between its premature victory laps and the current stalemate.
    — Arpita Dasika, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
Definition of highlight
Noun
  • So, the discovery last week of two birds infected with the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu has rattled nerves.
    — Todd Symons, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
  • The screen-free Whoop band maps recovery through resting heart rate and heart rate variability to reveal sleep architecture and daily strain.
    — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of strain
Noun
  • Iran’s feat here has wider geopolitical implications about American power and focus.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
  • Ukraine’s relative successes on parts of the front line this year, such as successful localized counteroffensives in Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia, can be credited in part to Syrsky’s focus on cultivating manpower and forming assault groups.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 16 July 2026
Definition of focus
Verb
  • The Athletics have been the worst team in Major League Baseball for nearly two months and reinforced that point Friday night in their first game since the All-Star break.
    — Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 18 July 2026
  • Reinaldo Dias da Rocha, who is from the same community, said his father had already encouraged him not to hunt sharks, but the project had reinforced the importance of preserving the animals.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 July 2026
Definition of reinforce

Browse Nearby Words

strenuously
stress
stressed
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Cite this Entry

“Stress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stress. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on stress

Nglish: Translation of stress for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about stress

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