distressing 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of distressingnext
1
as in disturbing
causing worry or anxiety distressing signs that another war might be imminent

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2
as in tragic
of a kind to cause great distress the distressing death of our favorite actor

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3
as in uneasy
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings the distressing habit of constantly fiddling with her hair

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distressing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of distress
as in alarming
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy don't let all the bad news distress you

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for distressing
  1. disturbing
  2. tragic
  3. uneasy
  4. unsettling
  5. unfortunate
  6. anxious
  7. distracting
  8. troubling
Adjective
  • The most disturbing thing about the Red Wings’ place in the standings is not merely their win/loss totals.
    Max Bultman, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024
  • Jacob Cockcroft finds that one of the most disturbing parts of the case.
    Kyani Reid, NBC News, 22 Dec. 2024
Definition of disturbing
Adjective
  • The coroner’s report into the death of British TV doctor Michael Mosley has revealed further details into the tragic final moments of the popular presenter and writer on a Greek island holiday.
    Caroline Frost, Deadline, 22 Dec. 2024
  • The new Metropolis Cinema location is located in Beirut’s Mar Mikhael district right across from where the tragic Beirut port blast occurred on Aug. 4, 2020 — one of the biggest non-nuclear explosions ever recorded — in which more than 200 people died.
    Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 21 Dec. 2024
Definition of tragic
Adjective
  • But the series also revealed an uneasy disconnect between the British public and the media.
    Katie Marie Davies, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Dec. 2024
  • Here, she’s filmed upside-down against a stark white sky with the old girl bobbing on an uneasy axis.
    Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024
Definition of uneasy
Adjective
  • And Robert Zemeckis' 2009 take featuring Jim Carrey is noteworthy for a few reasons: Not only are the ghosts downright terrifying, but the animation style is also unsettling, and may scare you for all the wrong reasons.
    Huntley Woods, EW.com, 19 Dec. 2024
  • In addition to this unsettling experience, Robbins shared with Newsweek a moment of unexpected kindness during her return flight.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
Definition of unsettling
Adjective
  • In an unfortunate instance of life imitating art, the New York Times reported several cast members’ complaints of sleep deprivation, inadequate food, and even hospitalizations on the set of the off-brand competition.
    Judy Berman, TIME, 26 Dec. 2024
  • The unfortunate 25-year-old was ruled out by serious knee damage for 19 months from April 2022 to November 2023, during Graham Potter’s reign.
    Andy Naylor, The Athletic, 26 Dec. 2024
Definition of unfortunate
Adjective
  • Glumly marching to the stage, Wallen appears to tune out the anxious producer’s notes about looking at the camera and remembering to smile.
    Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 31 Dec. 2024
  • In contrast, those with anxious attachment styles may become overly focused on caregiving as a way to gain approval or security in the relationship.
    Mark Travers, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
Definition of anxious
Verb
  • Yet another highly sought after PR guru, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the sensational nature of the complaint is distracting from an industry reality.
    Matt Donnelly, Variety, 23 Dec. 2024
  • The distracting little notification badges!
    Allison Johnson, The Verge, 22 Dec. 2024
Definition of distracting
Adjective
  • The allegations in this lawsuit are arguably even more troubling than Rashada’s.
    Joe Sabin, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
  • In November, samples of raw milk from California were found to contain the H5N1 virus — an especially troubling development considering its increase in popularity over the past year.
    Elizabeth Yuko, Rolling Stone, 31 Dec. 2024
Definition of troubling
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near distressing

distressfully

distressing

distressingly

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Cite this Entry

“Distressing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distressing. Accessed 4 Jan. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on distressing

Nglish: Translation of distressing for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of distressing for Arabic Speakers

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