stressful
Americanadjective
Usage
What does stressful mean? Stressful means full of stress or causing stress. It’s typically used to describe situations or experiences, such as stressful meetings, stressful trips, or a stressful day. In stressful, the word stress means mental or emotional strain or tension—that all-too-familiar feeling of anxiety, worry, and pressure. Things that are stressful cause people to feel stressed. Example: Trying to study for my math test while also babysitting my three little brothers was incredibly stressful.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of stressful
Explanation
You might find taking tests stressful. Your hands get sweaty and you might get butterflies in your stomach. If something makes you anxious, it is stressful. Stress is how your body reacts to difficult situations. Driving through heavy city traffic can be very stressful, leaving you exhausted afterward. Some people react to stressful situations by eating too much, others by not eating, or by losing sleep. If you find something stressful, relaxation techniques like deep breathing and stretching can help your body release some of the tension and clear your brain. Then you won't be so stressed out!
Vocabulary lists containing stressful
Feed
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A First Time for Everything
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The Lions of Little Rock
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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.
That was true even when we accounted for factors like differences in the amount of time participants spent indoors, with either filter, as well as how stressful they found the test.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 30, 2026
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said that, while home improvements can be stressful, "we're taking action to protect consumers, support reputable traders and make sure people can spend their money with greater confidence and security".
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
But the most stressful moment of Fuld’s professional life came nearly a decade after he retired.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
"It is essentially part of psychological training: this way we understand if the personnel are ready for stressful situations ... and how they fight their fears," said Axel.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
Jack tugged at the wavy hair that flopped on his forehead, like even the memory was stressful.
From "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
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.
