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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of distress
Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 6 Jan. 2026
The same new law requires suicide prevention personnel to be informed automatically when users show signs of distress in their postings and questions.
—Thomas Elias, Mercury News, 6 Jan. 2026
Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 8 Dec. 2025
Its mid-rise Harlow jeans are composed of a cotton and elastane blend, with a powder-blue hue and strategic hints of distressing down the leg.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distress
Noun
And monitor yourself for warning signs of cardiac distress like shortness of breath, heart palpitations and chest pain.
—Verb
In terms of finishing technologies, said Mangin laser finishing is often applied to enhance or distress jacquard patterns, adding a layered aesthetic.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for distress
Noun
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The dramatic arc of the film’s first half — filled with the ecstasy of God’s embrace and the agony of imprisonment — is told through musical numbers, adapted from the Shakers’ ecstatic worship, dance, hymns, and music (watch the video above to learn more).—
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One year before Ingri and Edgar Parin D’Aulaire published their compendium of Greek myths, Cicellis released her second work of fiction, The Way to Colonos, which ruthlessly dramatizes the limits of individual freedom and the agony of facing one’s powerlessness.—
Noun
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Most of the world's volcanoes that pose a risk to humans already have detailed maps of their interiors, but not Popocatépetl, despite the fact that some 25 million people live within a 62-mile radius and houses, schools, hospitals and five airports could be affected by an eruption.—
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These popular items are at risk of selling out, so be sure to shop our 10 picks today while prices start at just $16.—
Verb
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The images alarmed many onlookers, watchdogs and people whose photos had been manipulated, and there was a sustained pushback on X leading up to the change.—
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That the administration appears unconcerned by this fact should alarm everyone else.—
Noun
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No adolescent defiance or child’s anguish was visible on his face now.—
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Some critics called for more editorial discipline in the film, or found Lawrence’s onscreen spin cycle of anguish, which involves literally clawing her way up walls or flinging herself through glass doors, to be repetitive.—
Noun
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People get in the bathtub, think something, bathe themselves and then stand up from the bathwater, all of this is rather ordinary, but even the most ordinary thing in this world can conceal considerable danger.—
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Sensing danger, Charlie doubles down on sucking up.—
Verb
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Orpin did not respond to follow-up questions concerning the fate of the cidery's canning and retail sales operations.—
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Other concerning signs include constipation, feeling cold all the time, lightheadedness or fainting, and missing periods in girls.—
Noun
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So Skinny Pedro had experienced the pain of seeing his dream simultaneously realized and shattered.—
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Hannah tells the jury how the pain affected her.—
Noun
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Cameron Dicker kicked field goals of 37 and 27 yards and running back Omarion Hampton scored on a 5-yard run in the second half, and the Chargers were never in serious jeopardy.—
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That work could be put in jeopardy by the center’s breakup.—
Cite this Entry
“Distress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distress. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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