stressor

American

[stres-er, -awr] / ˈstrɛs ər, -ɔr /

noun

an activity, event, or other stimulus that causes stress.

stressor British

/ ˈstrɛsə /

noun

an event, experience, etc, that causes stress

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of stressor

First recorded in 1950–55; stress + -or ²

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.

Because the chickenpox varicella-zoster virus remains dormant in the nervous system, it is plausible that it is a chronic stressor causing chronic inflammation, says Geldsetzer.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 6, 2025

Among the 75% of employees who say rising costs are a top stressor, half said the stress causes them to feel distracted at work, Fidelity said.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 15, 2025

“I almost can’t think of a worse psychological stressor than being bullied by a community that you value.”

From Slate • Nov. 1, 2025

In this new study, the researchers wanted to know whether a sense of personal control -- how much people feel they can influence their daily challenges -- affects whether a stressor gets resolved.

From Science Daily • Oct. 20, 2025

But for people like Rodriguez — a sole breadwinner living in a rent-controlled apartment — it’s just another stressor compounding an already grim financial reality.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 17, 2025

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023