distressful

adjective

dis·​tress·​ful di-ˈstres-fəl How to pronounce distressful (audio)
: causing distress : full of distress
distressfully adverb
distressfulness noun

Examples of distressful in a Sentence

the distressful period during which we waited to learn who had made the cut the distressful living conditions in the refugee camp
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And yet behind the distressful scene, a young man continues to butcher an animal. Kaely Monahan, The Arizona Republic, 27 Mar. 2024 Despite the distressful news of Houston’s death that day, the event went forward to create a space for guests to mourn. Elizabeth Wagmeister, CNN, 2 Feb. 2024 Justice Harry Blackmun, who wrote for the Roe-affirming majority in 1973, included a brief list of the potential detriments of forcing women to carry pregnancies to term: Maternity, or additional offspring, may force upon the woman a distressful life and future. Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, The New Yorker, 6 July 2022 The definition of trauma is anything distressful. Julia M. Chan, CNN, 15 Mar. 2022 But the results, Mr. Chancellor observes, were not as distressful for the rich as a medieval canonist might have hoped. Adam Rowe, WSJ, 12 Aug. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of distressful was in 1591

Dictionary Entries Near distressful

Cite this Entry

“Distressful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/distressful. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

distressful

adjective
dis·​tress·​ful dis-ˈtres-fəl How to pronounce distressful (audio)
: causing distress : full of distress
distressfully adverb
distressfulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on distressful

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!