distraught
Americanadjective
-
distracted; deeply agitated.
-
mentally deranged; crazed.
adjective
-
distracted or agitated
-
rare mad
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of distraught
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English variant of obsolete distract “distracted,” by association with straught, old past participle of stretch; see distract
Explanation
If you are upset, you are distraught. If you don't want to explain why you are pulling your hair out, just utter "Leave me alone; I'm distraught." It'll work. While distraught may sound like an old Germanic past participle, it is actually an alteration of distract from the Latin distrahere "to draw in different directions." If you are distraught, you are so upset that it's hard to think straight, hence your mind is "drawn in different directions."
Vocabulary lists containing distraught
The Great Gatsby
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In the Mood? 100 Words to Describe Emotions
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "D"
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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.
Family secrets and sibling drama: A reader is distraught that their siblings threw away their late father’s journals, which held clues about who he really was.
From Slate ● Jul. 21, 2026
Det Insp Ben Dalloway, who is leading the investigation, said: "Our thoughts remain with the victim's family who are understandably distraught at their loss. We will continue to offer them every support."
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
"I came yesterday and walked everywhere and couldn't find my daughter," said a distraught Antony Marcano, a 41-year-old cook.
From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026
With phone lines and cell towers down, distraught relatives went searching for loved ones, posting images of family members on social media with their last known locations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
Annie sat up, her face going from distraught to seriously pissed in a matter of seconds.
From "We'll Fly Away" by Bryan Bliss
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
