distressed

[dih-strest] / dɪˈstrɛst /

ADJECTIVE

upset

Synonyms

STRONGEST

afflicted agitated anxious distraught jittery miffed perturbed shaky troubled

STRONG

bothered bugged concerned discombobulated distracted dragged exercised harassed peeved ripped saddened shook spooked tormented wired worried wrecked

WEAK

all torn up antsy basket case bummed out bundle of nerves cut up disconsolate distrait fidgety hyper in a stew in a tizzy inconsolable jumpy shook-up shot down strung-out unconsolable unglued up the wall uptight wretched

Antonyms

STRONGEST

calm cool happy peaceful pleased untroubled

STRONG

unworried

WEAK

collected comforted glad joyful

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.

As demand waned in the following years, companies conducted mass layoffs, leading private-equity firms to swoop in to pick over the remains of distressed assets.

From MarketWatch • May 23, 2026

It definitely stands out, because judges do this only when they’re very distressed.

From Slate • May 18, 2026

He said the "distressed" Ghanaians had registered at the country's embassy in Pretoria to be rescued in response to an advisory by the foreign ministry "following the latest wave of xenophobic attacks".

From BBC • May 13, 2026

“The story here is that people have been distressed over the last five years, but loss mitigation prevented the natural clearing cycle,” says Comiskey.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026

The cave-in that had so distressed Cora was a ruse to camouflage the operation below.

From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead

Vocabulary lists containing distressed

"The Hunger Games" Vocabulary from Chapter 1

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Cry Me A River: Synonyms for "Sad"

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

myPerspectives 6.3

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!