stressful

adjective

stress·​ful ˈstres-fəl How to pronounce stressful (audio)
: full of or tending to induce stress
stressfully adverb

Examples of stressful in a Sentence

I had a stressful day at work today.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Retirement Without the Stress Retirement doesn’t have to be stressful. Andrew Rosen, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025 Brannigan explained that many women tend to overlook their weekday outfits, which can make choosing weekend outfits stressful. Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025 Making a reservation for a large birthday party in Manhattan a month out is already stressful—finding one for a wedding is even harder. Shelby Wax, Vogue, 14 Jan. 2025 The arbitration process can be ‘stressful’ Major League Baseball takes a centralized approach to arbitration, and Cubs executives delegate some of those responsibilities within the front office. Sahadev Sharma, The Athletic, 14 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for stressful 

Word History

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stressful was in 1846

Dictionary Entries Near stressful

Cite this Entry

“Stressful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stressful. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

stressful

adjective
stress·​ful ˈstres-fəl How to pronounce stressful (audio)
: full of or tending to cause stress
stressfully adverb

Medical Definition

stressful

adjective
stress·​ful ˈstres-fəl How to pronounce stressful (audio)
: full of or subject to stress
stressful situations
stressfully adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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