distressed
Americanadjective
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showing or suffering from distress; worried or upset.
They got a call from a distressed mother whose child had gone missing.
We could tell from the distressed expression on his face that the news was bad.
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characterized by poor conditions or lack of resources.
The distressed economy has left many families struggling to make ends meet.
More help is needed for schools in distressed neighborhoods.
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(of merchandise or property for sale) damaged, out-of-date, or used.
The library periodically sells off distressed books.
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(of real estate) foreclosed and offered for sale.
Some investors seek out distressed properties to buy at a low price and make a profit on.
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(of furniture) purposely blemished or marred so as to give an antique appearance.
The distressed wooden chest in the corner of the room added a touch of rustic charm.
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(of fabric or clothing) made or processed to appear faded, wrinkled, frayed, or worn, as if from long, steady use.
Our best-selling jeans are the ones in distressed denim.
adjective
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much troubled; upset; afflicted
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in financial straits; poor
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(of furniture, fabric, etc) having signs of ageing artificially applied
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economics another word for depressed
Other Word Forms
- distressedly adverb
- distressedness noun
- quasi-distressed adjective
- undistressed adjective
Etymology
Origin of distressed
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.
One of them, a fellow watchmaker who often came to the Beje on business, seemed especially distressed at what had happened to us.
From Literature
She said: "Events like this affect people in different ways, and I recognise that many of us will feel shocked, distressed or in need of support."
From BBC
Though he had - as he put it - "defended the indefensible" by arguing against the removal of hereditary peers, the earl has accepted his fate and was not "unduly distressed by it".
From BBC
Some investors fear loans in the funds are poised to become distressed.
It looked at what impact the hormones had on a range of outcomes for young patients distressed about their gender, including quality of life and mental health.
From BBC
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.
