stressful

[stres-fuhl]

adjective

1. full of stress or tension.

   the stressful days before a war.

Other Word Forms

• stressfully adverb
• unstressful adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of stressful¹

First recorded in 1850–55; stress + -ful

Example Sentences

"It's horribly stressful, because what I know is that the emergency plan is not going to cover what I need," she said.

Read more on BBC

As if a personal loss leading to an inherited account wasn’t enough, financial headaches make the situation all the more stressful.

Read more on MarketWatch

In addition to being time-consuming and often stressful, the long trip from curb to departure gate isn’t something all fliers are physically prepared to handle.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

When she previously worked in a very stressful corporate role, she bought new clothes everytime she achieved something difficult or challenging.

Read more on BBC

Since she wants for nothing, she’s the least stressful presence here, invested in spiritual folderol in a way that isn’t annoying.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• agitated 
• anxious 
• apprehensive 
• edgy 
• excited 
• jittery 
• nervous 
• restive 
• shaky 
• strained 
• uneasy 

When To Use

What does stressful mean?

Stressful means full of stress or causing stress. It’s typically used to describe situations or experiences, such as stressful meetings, stressful trips, or a stressful day.In stressful, the word stress means mental or emotional strain or tension—that all-too-familiar feeling of anxiety, worry, and pressure. Things that are stressful cause people to feel stressed.Example: Trying to study for my math test while also babysitting my three little brothers was incredibly stressful.