1
as in disturbing
causing worry or anxiety
distressing signs that another war might be imminent
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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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
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distressing
Adjective
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Nakamura, the father, was interned along with his Japanese American family during WWII, a shameful and disturbing period in 20th-century American history that has never been fully acknowledged or dealt with on a national level.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
27 Jan. 2025 -
This is a dark and disturbing script that, circa 1996, would have been better handled by Darren Aronofsky or David Fincher.—
Brian Smolensky and James Mercadante,
EW.com,
27 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Coweta County Fire Rescue continues to be devastated by the tragic passing of Battalion Chief Bart Cauthen.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
21 Jan. 2025
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At least one desperate Russian command, the 20th Combined Arms Army, has formed assault groups made up of walking wounded—including injured men walking with the aid of crutches—and sent them into battle with predictably tragic results.—
David Axe,
Forbes,
21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Add Vargas to the long list of Americans who have been uneasy about TikTok’s future.—
Jeff Gluck,
The Athletic,
20 Jan. 2025
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For all of their uneasy gazing and silent discernment, artful visages are a key element in the decor.—
Leilani Marie Labong,
Architectural Digest,
15 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Bottom line While hair loss or thinning associated with medication can be unsettling, these effects are usually temporary and can often be helped with hair growth supplements or medication adjustments cleared by your doctor.—
Leslie Baumann,
Miami Herald,
29 Jan. 2025
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The Cost of Care Report, by the Numbers Dr. Murthy’s advisory was unsettling yet validating for many, including Lacey.—
Beth Ann Mayer,
Parents,
29 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Metro Denver's office vacancy rate is reaching new — and unfortunate — highs.—
Esteban L. Hernandez,
Axios,
27 Jan. 2025
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Jeep so far wants to keep pricing for those lower-spec Wagoneer EVs under wraps, though, even if the heart of the run will undoubtedly help the first electric Jeep more effectively escape from unfortunate comparisons to such stiff competition.—
Michael Teo Van Runkle,
Ars Technica,
27 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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For example, someone not willing to open up to you about certain aspects of their personal life can be interpreted as personal rejection, which may trigger defensive or anxious behaviors.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes,
24 Jan. 2025
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More than a few have faced foreclosure, leaving owners anxious about the need to get tenants back in their buildings or find another use for the millions of unused square feet.—
Roger Vincent,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Jan. 2025
Verb
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This is a clever way to offer a dual-screen experience without the flaws inherent to current dual-screen laptops, including distracting hinges and designs with questionable durability.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
7 Jan. 2025
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In a car, this could be used to hide distracting entertainment displays from the driver while passengers are able to see information such as music playlists or calendar alerts, for example.—
Barry Collins,
Forbes,
6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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This gender disparity is particularly troubling given that 79% of working women—compared with 58% of working men—are in occupations susceptible to generative AI disruption.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes,
24 Jan. 2025
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Those tapes, and Sampson’s 38-page criminal history — including charges never even pursued by prosecutors — raise some troubling questions about the conduct of the city’s police officers.—
JULIE K. BROWN,
Miami Herald,
23 Jan. 2025
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Thesaurus Entries Near distressing
Cite this Entry
“Distressing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distressing. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025.
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