stress 1 of 2

noun

ˈstres How to pronounce stress (audio)
Definition of stressnext
1
as in pressure
the burden on one's emotional or mental well-being created by demands on one's time with a full-time job and her college courses, the young woman is under a lot of stress right now

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in emphasis
a special notice or importance given to something the company's orientation program places considerable stress on workplace safety

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

stress

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to worry
to experience concern or anxiety the restaurant manager has a tendency to stress about every little thing that goes wrong

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to emphasize
to make more apparent his bad performance only stressed what I'd been saying all along

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to highlight
to indicate the importance of by centering attention on the doctor stressed the importance of exercise

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 stress
Noun
Last-minute changes and unscheduled requests to cover other clients can place tremendous stress on the field caregiver. — Colin Conner Ii, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026 If a wildfire does ignite, smoke may increase heat and physical stress. — Chelsea Hylton, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Verb
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and other officials have ruled out the deployment of combat troops, stressing that the pact is purely defensive. — ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026 Min stressed, though, that this indicates that microplastics make people sick by generating ROS. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stress
  1. pressure
  2. emphasis
  3. worry
  4. emphasize
  5. highlight
  6. strain
  7. focus
  8. reinforce
Noun
  • In retrospect, many Democrats now think that the candidates in 2020 were too willing to bow to pressure with cameras rolling.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Courtney is in school to become a nurse practitioner, which added even more pressure to a home-and-work-life balance.
    — Gregory Royal Pratt, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of pressure
Noun
  • That formula feels even more relevant today, and what makes the T especially compelling is that its emphasis on driver engagement does not come at the cost of day-to-day livability.
    — Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Atlas build efficiency The emphasis on manufacturing efficiency extends to the design of Atlas itself.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of emphasis
Verb
  • More than half of people using AI at work worried that using it on important tasks would create exactly that impression.
    — Christoph Trattner, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Opponents worry that the changes would mean less money getting invested in rural housing, precisely when housing affordability issues are hitting those areas the hardest.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of worry
Verb
  • Google’s November 13, 2025 holiday shopping update began rolling out agentic checkout and emphasized the scale of its Shopping Graph, with more than 50 billion product listings and 2 billion refreshed every hour.
    — Lauren Schuster, Sacbee.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The collectibles industry, once a niche hobby, has boomed since the pandemic with the help of marketing that emphasizes huge potential monetary wins.
    — Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of emphasize
Verb
  • Moncler highlighted the trailblazing careers and unique legacies of these artists.
    — Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The video also serves as a recruitment effort, highlighting the technical work involved in building and maintaining Atlas.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of highlight
Noun
  • Vocals strain at the center of the songs while lonesome organs burn around the margins like the argon glow of a street-sign montage.
    — Gabriel Szatan, Pitchfork, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The Heat also didn’t have Pelle Larsson (illness) and Dru Smith (right calf strain) on Friday.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of strain
Noun
  • Photographed and directed by Gabriel Moses, the campaign brings each icon into sharp focus, placing them at the center of a crowd as a powerful expression of individuality.
    — Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The focus was how AI can be integrated and optimize the existing business – rather than presentation of noisy (and controversial) slates of AI TV shows and movies.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of focus
Verb
  • Matt Schnaars, president of platform distribution and partnerships for NBCUniversal, reinforced Shapiro’s observations in a separate session.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The audience response has reinforced interest in experiencing independent films on the big screen and helped inform ABFF’s expansion into theatrical distribution.
    — Brent Lang, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of reinforce

Browse Nearby Words

strenuously
stress
stressed
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Cite this Entry

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

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about stress

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