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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tragic
of a kind to cause great distress
the distressful living conditions in the refugee camp
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
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
-
Shortly after midnight on Tuesday, some attendees at the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, started to feel uneasy.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
10 Apr. 2025
-
But Sherrill remains uneasy about what could happen next.—
Susan Tompor,
USA Today,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The December fatal shooting of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson allegedly by Luigi Mangione serves as an extreme and tragic example.—
T. Christian Miller,
ProPublica,
12 Apr. 2025
-
Season 3 of Yellowjackets premiered in February 2025 and continued the story of a high school girls’ soccer team whose journey to a national championship turned tragic when their plane crashed in the Canadian wilderness.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
In cases where advertising is inevitable, some prefer ads that appeal on a personal level over messaging that can be inappropriate or, even, disturbing and offensive.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
16 Apr. 2025
-
Ghosts that wink could be scary but the face Sal makes is disturbing in other ways.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The self-deportation of a University of Florida student reveals the new reality for many immigrants — any brush with the law can set off a chain of unfortunate events.—
Clara-Sophia Daly,
Miami Herald,
10 Apr. 2025
-
The unfortunate truth is that the value of your investments will likely decrease.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The power of HOAs over homeowners has been a tense conversation across North Carolina.—
Briah Lumpkins,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Apr. 2025
-
Italian Government | Reuters Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is set to meet U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday amid a tense trade standoff with the European Union over tariffs.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
And for people who value stability, control or routine, that kind of change can feel deeply unsettling.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
-
There’s also the strange, silent, cubic villagers with long rectangular noses who are deeply unsettling, not to mention the square pigs.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
How to know when your dog is agitated Identifying an anxious or aggressive dog can be tricky, as negative and positive emotional indicators can often be confused.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
-
The Fed chief said Wednesday the central bank can be patient while assessing data on inflation and employment, which are its dual mandates, while anxious consumers and businesses eye potentially prolonged economic instability.—
Alexis Simendinger,
The Hill,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
At the same time, sellers might get nervous if deal activity slows down.—
James Nelson,
Forbes.com,
18 Apr. 2025
-
At times brutal and always volatile, the album functions as a sort of electro-shock therapy applied from the shoulders down, layering hard beats, ambient whorls, and nervous acid ticks to trigger a state of full-body rapture.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
18 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Distressful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distressful. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share