1
as in uneasy
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings
the distressful period during which we waited to learn who had made the cut
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tragic
of a kind to cause great distress
the distressful living conditions in the refugee camp
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Recent Examples of distressful
And yet behind the distressful scene, a young man continues to butcher an animal.
—
Kaely Monahan, The Arizona Republic, 27 Mar. 2024
Despite the distressful news of Houston’s death that day, the event went forward to create a space for guests to mourn.
—Elizabeth Wagmeister, CNN, 2 Feb. 2024
Justice Harry Blackmun, who wrote for the Roe-affirming majority in 1973, included a brief list of the potential detriments of forcing women to carry pregnancies to term: Maternity, or additional offspring, may force upon the woman a distressful life and future.
—Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, The New Yorker, 6 July 2022
The definition of trauma is anything distressful.
—Julia M. Chan, CNN, 15 Mar. 2022
But the results, Mr. Chancellor observes, were not as distressful for the rich as a medieval canonist might have hoped.
—Adam Rowe, WSJ, 12 Aug. 2022
Kaely Monahan, The Arizona Republic, 27 Mar. 2024
Despite the distressful news of Houston’s death that day, the event went forward to create a space for guests to mourn.
—Elizabeth Wagmeister, CNN, 2 Feb. 2024
Justice Harry Blackmun, who wrote for the Roe-affirming majority in 1973, included a brief list of the potential detriments of forcing women to carry pregnancies to term: Maternity, or additional offspring, may force upon the woman a distressful life and future.
—Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, The New Yorker, 6 July 2022
The definition of trauma is anything distressful.
—Julia M. Chan, CNN, 15 Mar. 2022
But the results, Mr. Chancellor observes, were not as distressful for the rich as a medieval canonist might have hoped.
—Adam Rowe, WSJ, 12 Aug. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distressful
Adjective
-
The whole exchange left Brooke feeling a little uneasy.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
People.com,
20 Mar. 2025
-
And of course, various consumer surveys have showed that Americans are feeling uneasy.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The tragic case of Kitty Genovese in 1964 famously illustrated this concept, though the case details have been subject to later scrutiny and revision.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes,
22 Mar. 2025
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John Lennon’s tragic death in 1980 forever changed the trajectory of life for his widow Yoko Ono and their son Sean.—
Rachel DeSantis,
People.com,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Other times, Claude’s mental activity seems super disturbing and maybe even dangerous.—
Steven Levy,
Wired News,
28 Mar. 2025
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Just as disturbing and bizarre, at least one juror originally didn’t want to convict Zeigler at all and didn’t vote to do so until after that same judge ordered the bailiff to give her a Valium.—
Scott Maxwell,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Viet and Nam try to make sense of the tragic deaths of unfortunate people like Nam’s father, while their film namesake also attempts to do similar for people like those who have perished when attempting to find a new life.—
Josh Slater-Williams,
IndieWire,
28 Mar. 2025
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Here at home, extreme weather exacerbated by climate change is having many unfortunate impacts on our lives, from farmers losing crops to devastating floods, brush fires, and high heat days.—
Michael Leone,
Hartford Courant,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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On Friday, another tense hearing between Judge Boasberg and Trump's Justice Department.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 Mar. 2025
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This year — in the wake of California wildfires and a tense presidential inauguration — the need to escape felt even more pronounced.—
Danielle Dorsey,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The sight of a middle aged woman wearing a purple-and-yellow No. 77 Los Angeles Lakers jersey walking down Sunset Blvd. is still unsettling.—
Mac Engel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Mar. 2025
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Pam Morris, 54, a freelance prop stylist, noticed another unsettling trend a few years ago, when a U.S. client asked her to art-direct a crew in Asia remotely for a shoot.—
Steven Kurutz,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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As the end of the sale nears, the company running things becomes more and more anxious to sell as much of the merchandise as possible.—
Ryan Ermey,
CNBC,
22 Mar. 2025
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But all around the country, the next generation of doctors has been spending the past few days anxious to learn what awaits them after finishing medical school.—
Zoey Lyttle,
People.com,
21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Dogs might feel scared and nervous or have separation anxiety while home alone.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Mar. 2025
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If people are scared and nervous, that in and of itself is harm.—
Stephen Daw,
Billboard,
26 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Distressful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distressful. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.
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