as in difficult
full of or causing stress; making you feel worried or anxious
I had a stressful day at work today. a stressful situation
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stressful
But some airports are more stressful than others.
—
Kristine Hansen, Travel + Leisure, 29 Sep. 2025
Two-thirds said their roles are more stressful than five years ago, and 63% named the complexity of today’s landscape as the top stressor.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2025
And the filmmaking was very stressful.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2025
Other common factors found to contribute to Gen Z’s experiences with anxiety include living through the pandemic as children and frequent exposure to stressful domestic and international news (via social media).
—Ashleigh N. Deluca, Parents, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stressful
Kristine Hansen, Travel + Leisure, 29 Sep. 2025
Two-thirds said their roles are more stressful than five years ago, and 63% named the complexity of today’s landscape as the top stressor.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2025
And the filmmaking was very stressful.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2025
Other common factors found to contribute to Gen Z’s experiences with anxiety include living through the pandemic as children and frequent exposure to stressful domestic and international news (via social media).
—Ashleigh N. Deluca, Parents, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stressful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stressful
Adjective
-
For once, the bulk of the anger was directed not at Fosun — the investment group and majority shareholder – and the Molineux hierarchy who have conspired to deal Pereira a difficult hand, but at the head coach himself and his players.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
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Romancelandia’s social world, harnessed by its business-minded authors, may make its success exceedingly difficult to replicate.—
Rebecca Ackermann,
The Atlantic,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Lammens was perhaps fortunate to escape sanction then (Stuart Atwell booked the forward for diving), but this was a valuable occasion ahead of tougher tests, beginning at Anfield.—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
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There will be some tough picking in there, but typically the predicting business gets a little easier in region play.—
Tyler Palmateer,
Nashville Tennessean,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
And Modi and Xi have had a more trying relationship than either has had with Putin.—
Thomas Wright,
The Atlantic,
17 Sep. 2025
-
When your spouse passes away, this can be a very trying and confusing time.—
Thomas Hager,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stressful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stressful. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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