stressor

American

[stres-er, -awr] / ˈstrɛs ər, -ɔr /

noun

an activity, event, or other stimulus that causes stress.

stressor British

/ ˈstrɛsə /

noun

an event, experience, etc, that causes stress

"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

Etymology

Origin of stressor

First recorded in 1950–55; stress + -or ²

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.

Rising demands for defense spending are another stressor.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

Nearly half of adults cited the cost of housing as a major stressor, according to a summer survey from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 4, 2025

“I almost can’t think of a worse psychological stressor than being bullied by a community that you value.”

From Slate • Nov. 1, 2025

For eight consecutive days, participants reported any daily stressors they experienced within the previous 24 hours and whether each stressor was resolved by the end of the day.

From Science Daily • Oct. 20, 2025

“Money was very much a stressor during my pregnancy and postpartum period,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2025

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023