DISTRESSFUL Synonyms: 98 Similar and Opposite Words

distressful

adjective

di-ˈstres-fəl

Definition of distressful

as in uneasy

marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings the distressful period during which we waited to learn who had made the cut

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in tragic

of a kind to cause great distress the distressful living conditions in the refugee camp

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of distressful Carrying debt can be incredibly distressful, especially with sky-high prices for food, gas and housing. — Mallika Mitra, Sacbee.com, 24 Aug. 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for distressful

Adjective

An uneasy quiet took over the boat as customers waited for another catch.

— Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Republican candidates are facing voters uneasy, even angry about high prices and an unpopular war.

— ABC News, ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of uneasy

Adjective

Encouragement from his longtime confidante and collaborator helped the comedian write about the loss of his beloved home before Reiner’s tragic killing in December 2025 alongside his wife, Michele, in Brentwood.

— Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Reynolds, a Black disabled man with a limb difference, is given a character of substance that isn’t tragic or inspirational.

— Kristen Lopez, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of tragic

Adjective

Even when the metaphor is painfully on the nose, the film’s most disturbing images are more than their dramatic limitations and a whale is still an astonishing place to spend a movie.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2026
When her aunt Helena and paralyzed grandmother Regina arrive, the fragile boundaries between everyday life, ancestral superstition and Trina’s increasingly disturbing nightmares begin to collapse.

— Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of disturbing

Adjective

Neighbors shocked about stabbing Neighbors say Thomas was known to have mental health issues and called the stabbing unfortunate.

— Bryan Lynn, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
To make matters worse, India’s Supreme Court, another vital democratic institution, has also played an unfortunate role in this train of events.

— Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of unfortunate

Adjective

Kushner has defended his private sector connections as having enabled the United States to gain leverage and breakthroughs in tense negotiations.

— Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2026
British Prime Minister Nicol Trowbridge, played by Rory Kinnear, reveals the news to Hal Wyler, Vice President of the United States, played by Rufus Sewell, in a rather tense meeting in London.

— Peter White, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of tense

Adjective

There’s also reassuring initial bite at the top of the travel, yet the setup doesn’t feel grabby or overly anxious in everyday driving situations.

— Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026
Gong’s collection followed the emotional arc of unrequited love, from the first spark and the anxious wait to the social-media sleuthing, a date, and the sudden disappearance that follows.

— Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of anxious

Adjective

The mystery comedy, loosely inspired by the 1989 film starring Tom Hanks, follows a married couple whose move into the husband's childhood home exposes unsettling secrets in their seemingly quiet suburban neighborhood.

— Danielle Minnetian, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Liminal Yellow can read as warm or slightly unsettling, WGSN says, depending on how it is styled.

— Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of unsettling

Adjective

Any agency whose main product is activity rather than thinking should be very nervous right now; frankly, some of them should have been nervous years ago.

— Angelica Kopec, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Consumers in the country, nervous about the shaky economy, are loading up on gold jewelry, bars and coins.

— Anniek Bao, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of nervous

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“Distressful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distressful. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of distressful

adjective

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