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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Recent Examples of stressful
If the idea of mingling with nude strangers feels more stressful than serene, instead head to Tempelhofer Feld, a former airfield transformed into a 741-acre expanse (Berlin’s largest outdoor space) perfect for jogging, biking, or an alfresco meal.
—
Blane Bachelor, AFAR Media, 29 Aug. 2025
Advertisement Some people may also have weird or stressful dreams because of poor sleep hygiene, Dimitriu says.
—Chantelle Lee, Time, 29 Aug. 2025
But the movie also knows that limits can be helpful, that having to decide which romantic partner to settle on—or whether to settle on one at all—can be more stressful than liberating.
—Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2025
This was due to publications like Solly Zuckerman’s The Social Life of Monkeys and Apes, based partly on observations of baboons housed in unnatural and stressful London zoos.
—Rj MacKenzie, Popular Science, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stressful
Blane Bachelor, AFAR Media, 29 Aug. 2025
Advertisement Some people may also have weird or stressful dreams because of poor sleep hygiene, Dimitriu says.
—Chantelle Lee, Time, 29 Aug. 2025
But the movie also knows that limits can be helpful, that having to decide which romantic partner to settle on—or whether to settle on one at all—can be more stressful than liberating.
—Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2025
This was due to publications like Solly Zuckerman’s The Social Life of Monkeys and Apes, based partly on observations of baboons housed in unnatural and stressful London zoos.
—Rj MacKenzie, Popular Science, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stressful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stressful
Adjective
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The Bulls look to be the best team in the Group of Five conferences, while the Gators and coach Billy Napier are now under pressure with a difficult SEC schedule ahead.—
Erick Smith,
USA Today,
8 Sep. 2025
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Usually the final day of boot camp is most difficult.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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That’s a tough dichotomy to bridge, but the new 2025 911 Carrera GTS achieves it brilliantly.—
Mark Phelan,
USA Today,
7 Sep. 2025
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The tough stainless steel loops are reinforced and designed to remain rust-free even after years of use, and a three number combination lock will be easy to remember and difficult to crack.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Doing the right thing is the right way to inoculate your business against exogenous events, while positioning your brand for sustainable growth in even the most trying of times.—
Michael Ringman,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
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But agricultural leaders see this year as one of the industry’s most trying periods, beset by economic and political factors that could significantly reduce production.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
25 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stressful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stressful. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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