distressing 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of distressingnext
1
as in disturbing
causing worry or anxiety distressing signs that another war might be imminent

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2
as in tragic
of a kind to cause great distress the distressing death of our favorite actor

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3
as in uneasy
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings the distressing habit of constantly fiddling with her hair

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distressing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of distress
as in alarming
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy don't let all the bad news distress you

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Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for distressing
  1. disturbing
  2. tragic
  3. uneasy
  4. unsettling
  5. unfortunate
  6. anxious
  7. distracting
  8. troubling
Adjective
  • One of the more disturbing results was from the dinner party at the Brooklyn apartment of my ProPublica colleague.
    Topher Sanders, ProPublica, 9 Dec. 2024
  • Duchamp spent the last twenty years of his life working in secret on a three-dimensional tableau vivant of a naked, headless female body in a realistic landscape, a strangely disturbing image that is both a summary of his meta-retinal art and a total departure from it.
    Calvin Tomkins, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
Definition of disturbing
Adjective
  • The coroner’s report into the death of British TV doctor Michael Mosley has revealed further details into the tragic final moments of the popular presenter and writer on a Greek island holiday.
    Caroline Frost, Deadline, 22 Dec. 2024
  • The new Metropolis Cinema location is located in Beirut’s Mar Mikhael district right across from where the tragic Beirut port blast occurred on Aug. 4, 2020 — one of the biggest non-nuclear explosions ever recorded — in which more than 200 people died.
    Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 21 Dec. 2024
Definition of tragic
Adjective
  • But the series also revealed an uneasy disconnect between the British public and the media.
    Katie Marie Davies, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Dec. 2024
  • Here, she’s filmed upside-down against a stark white sky with the old girl bobbing on an uneasy axis.
    Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024
Definition of uneasy
Adjective
  • And Robert Zemeckis' 2009 take featuring Jim Carrey is noteworthy for a few reasons: Not only are the ghosts downright terrifying, but the animation style is also unsettling, and may scare you for all the wrong reasons.
    Huntley Woods, EW.com, 19 Dec. 2024
  • In addition to this unsettling experience, Robbins shared with Newsweek a moment of unexpected kindness during her return flight.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
Definition of unsettling
Adjective
  • My role has not been to judge or point fingers at any party involved in this unfortunate situation.
    Arlyssa D. Becenti, The Arizona Republic, 16 Dec. 2024
  • Absentees from injury are unfortunate, suspensions less so.
    Simon Johnson, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
Definition of unfortunate
Adjective
  • The horror sequel centers on pop star and drug addict Skye Riley (Naomi Scott), who's anxious about a comeback tour and visits her dealer for pills.
    Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 24 Dec. 2024
  • His words speak to an anxious, ongoing need not just to entertain, but to distract, to overact, to keep the audience unmoored, all in an effort to hide deep and intractable feelings of inadequacy.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 24 Dec. 2024
Definition of anxious
Verb
  • Yet another highly sought after PR guru, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the sensational nature of the complaint is distracting from an industry reality.
    Matt Donnelly, Variety, 23 Dec. 2024
  • The distracting little notification badges!
    Allison Johnson, The Verge, 22 Dec. 2024
Definition of distracting
Adjective
  • Particularly troubling still is the impact that the NDAA will have on military families.
    Jen Cousins and KBF Francis, Orlando Sentinel, 26 Dec. 2024
  • The Vanishing White Christmas: A Cultural and Climatic Shift The November 2024 data from the Global Snow and Ice Report underscores a troubling trend: snow cover across the Northern Hemisphere is shrinking, highlighting the accelerating impacts of climate change.
    Dianne Plummer, Forbes, 25 Dec. 2024
Definition of troubling
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near distressing

distressfully

distressing

distressingly

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Cite this Entry

“Distressing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distressing. Accessed 31 Dec. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on distressing

Nglish: Translation of distressing for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of distressing for Arabic Speakers

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