distress
noun
great pain, anxiety, or sorrow; acute physical or mental suffering; affliction; trouble.
distressingly
-
a word derived from
distress.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Yet works of high seriousness were never his strong suit, as his rambling and distressingly unfocused Eisenhower Memorial in Washington showed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 5, 2025
There are notable exceptions, although they are distressingly few.
From Salon ● Mar. 9, 2025
She took a distressingly long time to define a clear, overarching vision.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2024
Parents are distressingly aware of the distractions and the mental health issues associated with smartphones and social media.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 9, 2024
Their lives were distressingly small in quantity, but glowingly large in quality.
From "While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement" by Carolyn Maull McKinstry
