Synonyms of distress

distress 1 of 2

noun

di-ˈstres 

1

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

• agony
• anguish
• pain
• misery
• discomfort
• torment
• tribulation
• torture
• woe
• hurt
• sadness
• sorrow
• pang
• hardship
• excruciation
• travail
• difficulty
• affliction
• heartbreak
• rack
• danger
• strait(s)
• trouble
• unhappiness
• emergency
• heartache
• ache
• cross
• crucible
• jeopardy
• joylessness
• soreness
• twinge
• trial
• stitch
• pinch
• asperity
• rigor
• smarting
• throe

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• relief
• comfort
• consolation
• solace
• ease
• alleviation
• security
• peace
• assuagement
• well-being

2

as in risk

the state of not being protected from injury, harm, or evil

a ship in distress

Synonyms & Similar Words

• risk
• danger
• jeopardy
• trouble
• peril
• endangerment
• imperilment
• threat
• harm's way
• vulnerability
• exposure
• precariousness
• helplessness
• susceptibility
• openness
• liability
• weakness
• susceptibleness
• defenselessness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• safety
• security
• salvation
• preservation
• protection
• defense
• secureness
• safeness
• exemption
• immunity
• impunity
• inviolability
• invulnerability

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

• alarm
• concern
• worry
• disturb
• bother
• distract
• anger
• discomfort
• plague
• upset
• agitate
• dismay
• disquiet
• unsettle
• annoy
• haunt
• discompose
• ail
• distemper
• exercise
• irritate
• perturb
• flurry
• derail
• fuss
• undo
• confuse
• freak (out)
• unhinge
• aggravate
• rattle
• exasperate
• bug
• embarrass
• weird out
• frazzle
• hagride
• harass
• vex
• irk
• discourage
• put off
• pester
• fret
• fluster
• pique
• put out
• chafe
• rile
• harry
• grate
• gall
• discomfit
• disconcert
• bedevil
• nettle
• confound
• shake up
• chivy
• peeve
• discountenance
• get
• mortify
• abash
• dispirit
• faze
• dishearten
• jar
• unnerve
• demoralize
• daunt
• nonplus

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• soothe
• calm
• alleviate
• settle
• quiet
• compose
• allay
• assuage
• tranquilize
• pacify
• placate
• appease
• mollify
• conciliate
• propitiate

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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of distress

Noun

Those numbers are not worrisome yet but indicate that some are in financial distress. —Jill Schlesinger, Mercury News, 15 June 2026

Harvey furloughed about 40% of city workers in October after declaring a state of financial distress, including nearly half of the Fire Department. —Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026

Verb

About 6 million Americans had opioid use disorder — a problematic pattern of opioid use that significantly impairs or distresses a patient — as of 2022, according to the CDC. —Amber Gaudet, Charlotte Observer, 6 May 2026

Her complexion ashen, the 40-year-old Mann appeared drained and distressed on her fifth consecutive day on the stand and second day of being cross-examined by Teny Geragos. —Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 1 May 2026