1
as in agony
a state of great suffering of body or mind
the upcoming bar exam is causing us considerable distress the survivors were in extreme distress after having been stranded on the island for a week with no food
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in risk
the state of not being protected from injury, harm, or evil
a ship in distress
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to alarm
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
don't let all the bad news distress you
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of distress
Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 2025
Persistent or painful gynecomastia, or changes that cause significant distress, also warrant evaluation.
—Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2025
Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent downgrades by ratings agencies Fitch and Moody’s have raised questions on Afreximbank’s lending, especially to distressed African states.
—Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distress
Noun
That claim was confirmed by prosecutors, but not before the 25-year-old woman died after being found in medical distress.
—Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 2025
Persistent or painful gynecomastia, or changes that cause significant distress, also warrant evaluation.
—Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2025
Verb
His heart was racing, his breathing distressed.
—Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent downgrades by ratings agencies Fitch and Moody’s have raised questions on Afreximbank’s lending, especially to distressed African states.
—Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distress
Noun
-
The wife ushers the two frightened boys behind her, and watches on helplessly as her husband screams in agony and terror, thrashing his arms and legs.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Please, more of Isabella lightly teasing Marty about his tendency to flagellate himself while considering the agony of the human condition.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The risk to coffee production from climate change has some researchers trying to develop more climate-resistant varieties of coffee.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
25 Oct. 2025
-
This can increase the risk of burns or further injury.—
RikkiLynn Shields Hannigan,
Health,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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That should alarm every one of us because ICE is not targeting criminals.—
Jody Agius Vallejo,
Oc Register,
22 Oct. 2025
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The report quickly circulated on social media and even alarmed some basketball fans.—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Days full of anguish Thousands of miles away from the ICE detention facility in Michigan, Aurelquis Gómez visits her nephew Noah often.—
Zoe Sottile,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Director Josh Boone will cut to a goofy montage right after a moment when a character is supposed to be mired in anguish.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
These discrepancies have led to confusion, fear, and, in some cases, physical danger.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Oct. 2025
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With satellites orbiting the Earth exploding into tens of thousands of pieces, the danger of collisions with space debris is a major problem, so Atomic-6 has developed new Space Armor tiles that are lighter and more effective than current systems.—
David Szondy
October 26,
New Atlas,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Twelve of the 20 indicators for the health risks and impacts of climate change in the report set concerning new records—showing that the health impacts caused by our changing climate have reached unprecedented levels that cannot be ignored.—
Simmone Shah,
Time,
29 Oct. 2025
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So there is some regret there, at least as far as I'm concerned.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Ergofoot Orthopedic Slippers For those on my holiday list who have more sensitive and pain-prone feet, this orthopedic pair stands out from the crowd.—
Izzy Baskette,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
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According to my friends from STATS Perform, only six other relief pitchers in World Series history can share his pain.—
Jayson Stark,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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According to the Centers for Medicate and Medicaid Services (CMS), immediate jeopardy is the most serious deficiency type for a hospital and carries the most serious sanctions.—
Lauren Giella,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Oct. 2025
-
The swimming pool scene gave that sense of jeopardy.—
Lexy Perez,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Distress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distress. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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