distressed

[dih-strest]

adjective

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. (of merchandise or property for sale) damaged, out-of-date, or used.

   The library periodically sells off distressed books.

4. (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.

5. (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.

6. (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.

distressed

/ dɪˈstrɛst /

adjective

1. much troubled; upset; afflicted

2. in financial straits; poor

3. (of furniture, fabric, etc) having signs of ageing artificially applied

4. economics another word for depressed

Other Word Forms

• distressedly adverb
• distressedness noun
• quasi-distressed adjective
• undistressed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of distressed¹

First recorded in 1580–90; distress + -ed ²

Example Sentences

"I can imagine that customers are really worried and distressed if they're facing financial difficulty, but they don't have to go through it alone," Ms Hutchins said.

Read more on BBC

I scale the fence and fall onto the other side, but not without a slew of cuts on my arms and some newly distressed jeans.

Read more on Literature

“Currently, global distressed debt totals just over $500 billion, a relatively modest amount compared to a global market exceeding $300 trillion,” they add.

Read more on MarketWatch

Mr McGrath's relatives are still too devastated by what happened to speak publicly, but have said they were shocked and distressed.

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Writing down mortgages for distressed borrowers is a booming business for mortgage bankers.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• afflicted 
• agitated 
• anxious 
• distraught 
• jittery 
• miffed 
• perturbed 
• shaky 
• troubled www.thesaurus.com