as in difficult
full of or causing stress; making you feel worried or anxious
I had a stressful day at work today. a stressful situation
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Recent Examples of stressful
Control of dangerous animals, while rare, can be a stressful endeavor.
—
Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 3 Aug. 2025
Parenthood proved stressful for Lee, Anderson shared.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2025
Maybe something stressful happened earlier in their day.
—Sho Dewan, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
But this oil saves me, even in the most stressful seasons of change.
—Anja Webb, Parents, 28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for stressful
Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 3 Aug. 2025
Parenthood proved stressful for Lee, Anderson shared.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2025
Maybe something stressful happened earlier in their day.
—Sho Dewan, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
But this oil saves me, even in the most stressful seasons of change.
—Anja Webb, Parents, 28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for stressful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stressful
Adjective
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This deep understanding of local transportation patterns would have been difficult with rapid multi-city expansion.—
Tima Bansal,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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No calendar issue generates more frustration, or is more difficult to solve, than the transfer portal.—
Jon Wilner,
Mercury News,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Even if increasing competition and financial obstruction have influenced summer recruitment, making this season’s challenges tougher, the confidence in Unai Emery and Villa’s football department remains unerring.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
14 Aug. 2025
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Unlike Trump, they aren’t charmed by the Kremlin’s tough guy.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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But agricultural leaders see this year as one of the industry’s most trying periods, beset by economic and political factors that could significantly reduce production.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
25 June 2025
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Doing the right thing is the right way to inoculate your business against exogenous events, while positioning your brand for sustainable growth in even the most trying of times.—
Michael Ringman,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stressful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stressful. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
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