DISTRESS Synonyms: 167 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'distress' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of distress are agony , misery , and suffering . While all these words mean "the state of being in great trouble," distress implies an external and usually temporary cause of great physical or mental strain and stress. // the hurricane put everyone in great distress

Q: When might 'agony' be a better fit than 'distress'?

In some situations, the words agony and distress are roughly equivalent. However, agony suggests pain too intense to be borne. // in agony over the death of their child

Q: When is 'misery' a more appropriate choice than 'distress'?

While in some cases nearly identical to distress , misery stresses the unhappiness attending especially sickness, poverty, or loss. // the homeless live with misery every day

Q: When could 'suffering' be used to replace 'distress'?

The synonyms suffering and distress are sometimes interchangeable, but suffering implies conscious endurance of pain or distress. // the suffering of famine victims

distress 1 of 2

noun

di-ˈstres

Definition of distress next

as in agony

a state of great suffering of body or mind the upcoming bar exam is causing us considerable distress the survivors were in extreme distress after having been stranded on the island for a week with no food

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in risk

the state of not being protected from injury, harm, or evil a ship in distress

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

distress

2 of 2

verb

as in to alarm

to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy don't let all the bad news distress you

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun distress differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of distress are agony, misery, and suffering. While all these words mean "the state of being in great trouble," distress implies an external and usually temporary cause of great physical or mental strain and stress.

the hurricane put everyone in great distress

When might agony be a better fit than distress?

In some situations, the words agony and distress are roughly equivalent. However, agony suggests pain too intense to be borne.

in agony over the death of their child

When is misery a more appropriate choice than distress?

While in some cases nearly identical to distress, misery stresses the unhappiness attending especially sickness, poverty, or loss.

the homeless live with misery every day

When could suffering be used to replace distress?

The synonyms suffering and distress are sometimes interchangeable, but suffering implies conscious endurance of pain or distress.

the suffering of famine victims

Examples Sentences

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Recent Examples of distress

Noun

Last year, Bloomberg reported that the building’s loan had been transferred to a special servicer, a sign of distress, although the decision was later rescinded. —

Paula Aceves, Curbed, 31 Oct. 2024 In the rare occurrence of distress, it might be caused by an intestinal blockage due to consuming the large, fibrous leaves. —

Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Oct. 2024

Verb

Introduced as a miniatures artist who doesn't seem that distressed by her mother's recent death, Annie Graham does start to come unraveled once the family starts to become wracked by other disasters (such as her son's accidental decapitation of his sister!) and occult phenomena. —

Clark Collis, EW.com, 1 Oct. 2024 Earlier this year, residents of Bishop Monkton, a village in north Yorkshire, were distressed when a thirty-foot topiary cockerel in a cottage front garden was suddenly felled by the home’s new owner. —

Sophie Elmhirst, The New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for distress

Recent Examples of Synonyms for distress

Noun

Compared to the agony and the ecstasy on display in McQueen’s extraordinary Small Axe compilation, which celebrated the United Kingdom’s diaspora culture while forcing the country to reckon with its institutionally racist past, this might seem like weak tea.

David Fear, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2024
The movie One of the darkest true stories on this list, An American Crime never undersells or soft-pedals the ceaseless agony of Likens’ ordeal.

Declan Gallagher and Chris Bellamy, EW.com, 31 Oct. 2024