distress call
Americannoun
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a prearranged communication code sign indicating that the sender is in a situation of peril, distress, or the like, as SOS, Mayday, etc.
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a communication prompted by or indicating distress.
The hospital sent out distress calls for all available stocks of the antitoxin.
Etymology
Origin of distress call
First recorded in 1910–15
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.
The ship began its journey in mid-afternoon and a distress call was received about eight hours later.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
Even before a less-than-successful promotional push for “American Girl” led Day to make a distress call to her manager, “we both knew the conversation was coming,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 3, 2026
The frigate had issued a distress call at dawn on Wednesday but had completely sunk by the time a Sri Lankan rescue ship reached the area.
From Barron's ● Mar. 5, 2026
The BBC was sent a recording of the distress call from the flotilla ship, recorded by a crew member on a nearby oil tanker.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2025
M. G. Y.'s position 41.46 N., 50.14 W. Assistance from D. D. C. not necessary, as M. K. C. shortly afterwards answers distress call.
From Loss of the Steamship 'Titanic' by Government, British
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.
