distress

[dih-stres]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR distress ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

great pain, anxiety, or sorrow; acute physical or mental suffering; affliction; trouble.

a state of extreme necessity or misfortune.

the state of a ship or airplane requiring immediate assistance, as when on fire in transit.

that which causes pain, suffering, trouble, danger, etc.

liability or exposure to pain, suffering, trouble, etc.; danger: a damsel in distress.

Law.

the legal seizure and detention of the goods of another as security or satisfaction for debt, etc.; the act of distraining.
the thing seized in distraining.

to dent, scratch, or stain (furniture, lumber, or the like) so as to give an appearance of age.

adjective

afflicted with or suffering distress: distress livestock; distress wheat.

caused by or indicative of distress or hardship: distress prices; distress borrowing.

verb (used with object)

to afflict with great pain, anxiety, or sorrow; trouble; worry; bother.

to subject to pressure, stress, or strain; embarrass or exhaust by strain: to be distressed by excessive work.

to compel by pain or force of circumstances: His suffering distressed him into committing suicide.

Origin of distress

1250–1300; (noun) Middle English destresse < Anglo-French distresse, destresse, Old French < Vulgar Latin *districtia, equivalent to Latin district(us) (see district) + -ia -y³; (v.) Middle English destressen < Anglo-French destresser (Old French destrecier), derivative of the noun

Related formsdis·tress·ing·ly, adverbpre·dis·tress, noun, verb (used with object)

Synonyms for distress

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR distress ON THESAURUS.COM

1. agony, anguish, adversity, tribulation. See sorrow. 2. need, destitution.

Antonyms for distress

1. comfort.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for distressing

dreadful, troublesome, frightening, regrettable, sad, poignant, deplorable, painful, nagging, fearful, grievous, woeful, afflictive, distressful

Examples from the Web for distressing

Contemporary Examples of distressing

The girls send a cry for help…the situation of these girls is distressing.
Jihadis Release New Year’s Eve Video of Italian Female Hostages
Jamie Dettmer, Barbie Latza Nadeau
January 2, 2015
In one of the most distressing events of the year, nerd entitlement hit 100.
10 Things That Made Us Want to Turn Off the Internet Forever in 2014
The Daily Beast
December 15, 2014
The health care workers, too, face “distressing” conditions.
CDC: 'Window Is Closing' on Containing Ebola
Abby Haglage
September 2, 2014
The current lack of available Simpsons clips online is distressing.
A 200-Hour ‘Simpsons’ Marathon? That’s Unpossible!
Rich Goldstein
July 24, 2014
What is distressing, however, is that our political system does not work that way.
The Supreme Court Has Given Us a Government Of, By, and For the 1 Percent
Geoffrey R. Stone
June 3, 2014

Historical Examples of distressing

There, I thought I'd reveal the distressing truth about myself while I had you at my mercy.
The Spenders
Harry Leon Wilson
Certainly it's the most distressing thing that ever has occurred for me.
Her Father's Daughter
Gene Stratton-Porter
If that be the case, I wish he commanded this distressing scene instead of me.
The Life of Horatio Lord Nelson
Robert Southey
Some days—and these were the most distressing of all—an opaque veil of smoke enveloped Paris.
My Double Life
Sarah Bernhardt
It is amazing to me what your relations can mean by distressing you, as they seem resolved to do.
Clarissa, Volume 3 (of 9)
Samuel Richardson

British Dictionary definitions for distressing

distress

verb (tr)

to cause mental pain to; upset badly

(usually passive) to subject to financial or other trouble

to damage (esp furniture), as by scratching or denting it, in order to make it appear older than it is

law a less common word for distrain

archaic to compel

noun

mental pain; anguish

the act of distressing or the state of being distressed

physical or financial trouble

in distress (of a ship, aircraft, etc) in dire need of help

law

the seizure and holding of property as security for payment of or in satisfaction of a debt, claim, etc; distraint
the property thus seized
US(as modifier)distress merchandise

Derived Formsdistressful, adjectivedistressfully, adverbdistressfulness, noundistressing, adjective, noundistressingly, adverb

Word Origin for distress

C13: from Old French destresse distress, via Vulgar Latin, from Latin districtus divided in mind; see distrain

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for distressing

distress

late 13c., "circumstance that causes anxiety or hardship," from Old French destresse, from Vulgar Latin *districtia "restraint, affliction, narrowness, distress," from Latin districtus, past participle of distringere "draw apart, hinder," also, in Medieval Latin "compel, coerce," from dis- "apart" (see dis-) + stringere "draw tight, press together" (see strain (v.)). Meaning "anguish, suffering; grief" is from c.1300.

distress

late 14c., from Old French destresser, from Vulgar Latin *districtiare (see distress (n.)). Related: Distressed; distressing.

distressing in Medicine

distress

[dĭ-strĕs′]

n.

Mental or physical suffering or anguish.

Severe strain resulting from exhaustion or trauma.

Related formsdis•tress′ adj.