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
DreamWorks, of course, would turn out to be a stressful launch – David Geffen and Jeffrey Katzenberg were intense partners who hoped to build an MGM-like studio complete with sound stages.
—
Peter Bart,
Deadline,
18 June 2026
Receiving collection notices after losing a spouse can be stressful, but reacting carefully can help protect your finances.
—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
The job may be too physically demanding, too unpredictable, or too stressful.
—
Diane Winiarski,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
Like, Tuesday night is a stressful night, or Wednesday is a stressful time.
—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for stressful
Peter Bart,
Deadline,
18 June 2026
Receiving collection notices after losing a spouse can be stressful, but reacting carefully can help protect your finances.
—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
The job may be too physically demanding, too unpredictable, or too stressful.
—
Diane Winiarski,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
Like, Tuesday night is a stressful night, or Wednesday is a stressful time.
—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for stressful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stressful
Adjective
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Some organizers say America's complicated and at times difficult history is being glossed over by fireworks and flag-waving ‒ or that it's being politicized by an administration that has actively worked to advance its version of history.
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The move gives Marte another chance to work his way back to the major leagues after a difficult stretch that included a brief stop with the Cincinnati Reds organization earlier this year before a cut.
Adjective
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Summer 2026 is having a tough time deciding on this season’s dominating nail trend.
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These are typically low-wage jobs that the healthcare industry writ large has had a tough time recruiting for since the pandemic.
Adjective
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More than half of the search-and-rescue workers who show up for the most trying missions are BUSARs.
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And Modi and Xi have had a more trying relationship than either has had with Putin.
Cite this Entry
“Stressful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stressful. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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