stressor

American  

[stres-er, -awr] / ˈstrɛs ər, -ɔr /

noun

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

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stressor British  

/ ˈstrɛsə /

noun

1. an event, experience, etc, that causes stress

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Etymology

Origin of stressor

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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

stressor

"It's often, for them, not one enormous stressor," she says.

From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026

Rising demands for defense spending are another stressor.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 30, 2026

Classroom technology use has been a stressor for India Brookover of Granada Hills, whose daughter will be entering transitional kindergarten, or TK, next year and whose screen time in preschool has been near zero.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 19, 2026

Rather than acting only through absorption into the bloodstream, flavanols appear to function as a moderate stressor that stimulates the central nervous system, leading to heightened attention, alertness, and memory.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 7, 2026

Still, financial concerns are often a main stressor for near- and current retirees.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 6, 2025