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
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The incident occurred Wednesday evening when police officers received a call from an apartment in San Antonio, Texas, from somebody reporting that their family member was in distress and needed immediate help, authorities said. Jon Haworth, ABC News, 22 Jan. 2025 Emergency crews began searching around 2:40 a.m. after receiving a call about someone in distress in the water near 20 W. Las Olas Boulevard. Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 18 Jan. 2025 Freshwater ecosystems across the world are in distress. Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Jan. 2025 The setting allows for a cross section of humanity, united in distress, and occasional passages of sociopolitical commentary. Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for in distress 

Dictionary Entries Near in distress

Cite this Entry

“In distress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20distress. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

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