in distress
idiom
1
: very upset
He was clearly in distress upon hearing the news.
2
: in a very difficult situation in which one does not have enough money, food, etc.
She's chosen to devote her life to helping those in distress.
3
of a boat, airplane, etc.
: in a state of danger or desperate need
The ship was in distress.
Examples of in distress in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And then, of course, there’s Jenny, whose unwillingness to be a damsel in distress lends an extra punch to the story’s third act.
—
David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 26 Mar. 2025
Hamdan Ballal reportedly called the film’s co-director, Basel Adra, in distress.
—Jade Walker, CNN, 25 Mar. 2025
The agency is directly connected to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, providing support to individuals in distress.
—Hilary Tetenbaum, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2025
The viral clip, which has amassed more than 343,000 views and over 34,000 likes, filmed the moment the small dog looked around in distress, hesitant to make the return jump.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for in distress
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David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 26 Mar. 2025
Hamdan Ballal reportedly called the film’s co-director, Basel Adra, in distress.
—Jade Walker, CNN, 25 Mar. 2025
The agency is directly connected to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, providing support to individuals in distress.
—Hilary Tetenbaum, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2025
The viral clip, which has amassed more than 343,000 views and over 34,000 likes, filmed the moment the small dog looked around in distress, hesitant to make the return jump.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for in distress
Cite this Entry
“In distress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20distress. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.
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