distressing 1 of 2

adjective

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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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 distressing
Adjective
The Los Angeles Dodgers x Vans Sk8-Hi and Era deliver heaps of team branding and a combo of distressing and patchwork-like assembly to separate the shoes from your baseline sports merch. — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2026 Meanwhile, fake distressing tends to look random or overly uniform. — Shagun Khare, Martha Stewart, 28 Sep. 2026 While hair thinning and shedding can be distressing, determining the underlying causes can help slow down, stop or even reverse certain types of hair loss. — Lindsey Bever, Washington Post, 26 Sep. 2026 Being cut off from access to the pool, fitness center and tennis or pickleball courts can be more distressing for some residents than monetary penalties. — Michael L. Hyman, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026 But unlike actual fatigues, this is cut to drape just right in all the right places and is clean of any distressing and patches. — Alison Syrett Cleary, InStyle, 18 Sep. 2026 What follows is some of the most riveting and distressing testimony ever delivered in such a setting. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026 Janzen told The Guardian that the search for Jabal was as much a concern for him as caring for Innab during the distressing time. — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2026 The videos aren’t quite photorealistic, but they are clearly being generated with cutting-edge technology, and the effect is distressing. — Jon Christian, Futurism, 9 Sep. 2026
Verb
Thieves have tried to break into Taylor Minatogawa’s business five times in the last two months, distressing him so much he’s spent at least a dozen nights inside his shop keeping guard. — Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026 Its mid-rise Harlow jeans are composed of a cotton and elastane blend, with a powder-blue hue and strategic hints of distressing down the leg. — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distressing
  1. disturbing
  2. tragic
  3. uneasy
  4. alarming
  5. unsettling
  6. unfortunate
  7. anxious
  8. distracting
Adjective
  • Brian had written down the recipe, and, in his back shed, Michael, with the eventual assistance of Kasey, sets about following it into strange and disturbing territory.
    — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Artificial’s timeliness in that regard is striking, even disturbing.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of disturbing
Adjective
  • Her tragic death caused an outcry among local residents and inspired many improvements to the neighborhood.
    — Christa Swanson, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Recounting the disappearance of his sister Jade 20 years earlier, this text threatens to expose the lies, secrets and rifts within a group of friends bound forever by tragic events.
    — Ed Meza, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of tragic
Adjective
  • Many of the women interviewed still feel uneasy about the experience.
    — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026
  • There was some uneasy laughter, and then, what everyone else was too afraid to say came from the only person who could.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of uneasy
Verb
  • But the Treasury market’s rapid deterioration is now alarming those who previously downplayed the risks.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The constant delay-of-game calls, false starts and inability to get lined up are a special level of alarming for a quarterback who entered the NFL 10 years ago.
    — Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of alarming
Adjective
  • The bill is coming due just as Volkswagen faces an unsettling commercial fact.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The whole unsettling scene was made far worse by Stephens’ reaction in the immediate aftermath of the hit.
    — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of unsettling
Adjective
  • These unfortunate souls were supposed to stay in their birthplace, hoping church charity would sustain them.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Artistic but flighty, Deborah ends up at her parents’ alma mater when an unfortunate incident gets her NYU Tisch School of the Arts acceptance rescinded.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of unfortunate
Adjective
  • As in the thriller, anxious local leaders debated whether publicizing the peril would scare off tourists.
    — Bob Drogin, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Because of these risks, many conservation groups and lawmakers are anxious to see permanent protections.
    — Christiana Freitag, Chicago Tribune, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of anxious
Verb
  • The sets have too many doors, the scenes have a delirious number of extras and the actors yell their lines over the distracting clatter of crackling fireplaces, beeping machines and ticking clocks.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The text was crisp and easy to read, the matte display minimized distracting reflections, and the ink paper mode made reading comfortable.
    — Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of distracting

Browse Nearby Words

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 9 Oct. 2026.

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