Synonyms of stressed

stressed 1 of 2

adjective

ˈstrest 

as in tired

suffering from high levels of physical and especially psychological stress

you seem really stressed right now, so maybe you should try to do something more relaxing

Synonyms & Similar Words

• tired
• exhausted
• nervous
• on the rack
• stressed-out
• shell-shocked
• upset
• annoyed
• angry
• irritated
• troubled
• unnerved
• aggravated
• disturbed
• agitated
• perturbed
• exasperated
• knackered
• unstrung
• tense
• unmanned
• undone
• uneasy
• burned-out
• worn-out
• edgy

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rested
• relaxed
• unconcerned
• carefree
• lighthearted
• laid-back
• happy-go-lucky
• devil-may-care

stressed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of stress

1

as in worried

to experience concern or anxiety

the restaurant manager has a tendency to stress about every little thing that goes wrong

Synonyms & Similar Words

• worried
• feared
• fretted
• troubled
• bothered
• fussed
• stewed
• sweat
• gave a hang
• sweat blood
• agonized
• longed
• yearned
• despaired
• pined
• chafed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• accepted
• sustained
• took
• bore
• tolerated
• endured
• stuck out
• abided
• stomached

2

as in emphasized

to make more apparent

his bad performance only stressed what I'd been saying all along

Synonyms & Similar Words

• emphasized
• reinforced
• underscored
• underlined
• deepened
• enhanced
• brought out
• accentuated
• italicized
• strengthened
• amplified
• supplemented
• heightened
• augmented
• maximized
• enlarged
• enlivened
• magnified
• boosted
• beefed (up)
• jazzed (up)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• reduced
• decreased
• weakened
• minimized
• diminished
• de-emphasized
• subdued
• lessened
• understated
• toned (down)

3

as in highlighted

to indicate the importance of by centering attention on

the doctor stressed the importance of exercise

Synonyms & Similar Words

• emphasized
• highlighted
• featured
• punctuated
• identified
• accentuated
• accented
• pointed (up)
• focused
• pressed
• illuminated
• foregrounded
• promoted
• played up
• bore down on
• made much of
• advertised
• publicized
• pinpointed
• spotlighted
• plugged
• boosted
• overplayed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• played down
• understated
• minimized
• underemphasized
• toned (down)
• de-emphasized
• discounted
• disparaged
• belittled

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of stressed

Adjective

Realizing that you’re not merely stressed but also grieving, for example, might not produce an obvious next step. — Angela Haupt, Time, 11 Aug. 2026

As water temperatures rise, a coral’s symbiotic algae become stressed and release molecules that are toxic to the coral in large quantities. — Marlowe Starling, Quanta Magazine, 5 Aug. 2026

Verb

After a 5-year-old Fort Worth girl accidentally shot and killed herself, experts stressed the importance of safe gun storage to save lives. — Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Sep. 2026

It should be stressed the judge did not issue a temporary restraining order that would have allowed Council to start practicing with a college team. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 11 Sep. 2026