distressed

adjective

dis·​tressed di-ˈstrest 

: of, relating to, or experiencing economic decline or difficulty

federal grants for distressed cities

Examples of distressed in a Sentence

She felt emotionally and physically distressed.

The government provided funds to the economically distressed city.

Donations were given to financially distressed families.

Recent Examples on the Web

But many customers are distressed about what will happen to their data after the sale, and who the ultimate buyer will be. —Abigail Dubiniecki, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025

Many of the distressed are turning to O’Keefe and Gov. Ned Lamont for advice and assistance on the way forward. —Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 29 Mar. 2025

Caregivers of patients with head and neck cancer or acute leukemia were among the most distressed, with up to 37 percent of them meeting PTSD criteria. —Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 21 Mar. 2025

It’s made of metal and has a distressed white finish that gives it an almost Parisian flair. —Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1613, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for distressed

• acquiesced
• coalesced
• dispossessed
• manifest
• overdressed
• overstressed
• prepossessed
• reassessed
• reinvest
• repossessed
• unaddressed
• uncompressed