distraught
Americanadjective
-
distracted; deeply agitated.
-
mentally deranged; crazed.
adjective
-
distracted or agitated
-
rare mad
Other Word Forms
Derived 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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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.
Both Jesse and Ashley were emotionally distraught and crying throughout the video.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026
A distraught mother, Leila Matura, 52, said her 18-year-old daughter was still missing.
From Barron's • May 28, 2026
To save money, she agreed to move her portfolio elsewhere, but she was genuinely distraught over the loss of what she believed was a friendship with the financial planner.
From MarketWatch • May 27, 2026
Serrano, who has served in the military for nearly 28 years, told the BBC that his wife's detention had left him distraught.
From BBC • May 15, 2026
The wee lads are all distraught with the news and you will do them good.
From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein
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.
