Synonyms of stressed

stressed 1 of 2

adjective

ˈstrest 

as in tired

suffering from high levels of physical and especially psychological stress

you seem really stressed right now, so maybe you should try to do something more relaxing

Synonyms & Similar Words

• tired
• exhausted
• nervous
• on the rack
• stressed-out
• shell-shocked
• upset
• annoyed
• angry
• irritated
• troubled
• unnerved
• aggravated
• disturbed
• agitated
• perturbed
• exasperated
• knackered
• unstrung
• tense
• unmanned
• undone
• uneasy
• burned-out
• worn-out
• edgy

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rested
• relaxed
• unconcerned
• carefree
• lighthearted
• laid-back
• happy-go-lucky
• devil-may-care

stressed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of stress

1

as in worried

to experience concern or anxiety

the restaurant manager has a tendency to stress about every little thing that goes wrong

Synonyms & Similar Words

• worried
• feared
• fretted
• troubled
• bothered
• fussed
• stewed
• sweat
• gave a hang
• sweat blood
• agonized
• longed
• yearned
• despaired
• pined
• chafed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• accepted
• sustained
• took
• bore
• tolerated
• endured
• stuck out
• abided
• stomached

2

as in emphasized

to make more apparent

his bad performance only stressed what I'd been saying all along

Synonyms & Similar Words

• emphasized
• reinforced
• underscored
• underlined
• deepened
• enhanced
• brought out
• accentuated
• italicized
• strengthened
• amplified
• supplemented
• heightened
• augmented
• maximized
• enlarged
• enlivened
• magnified
• boosted
• beefed (up)
• jazzed (up)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• reduced
• decreased
• weakened
• minimized
• diminished
• de-emphasized
• subdued
• lessened
• understated
• toned (down)

3

as in highlighted

to indicate the importance of by centering attention on

the doctor stressed the importance of exercise

Synonyms & Similar Words

• emphasized
• highlighted
• featured
• punctuated
• identified
• accentuated
• accented
• pointed (up)
• focused
• pressed
• illuminated
• foregrounded
• promoted
• played up
• bore down on
• made much of
• advertised
• publicized
• pinpointed
• spotlighted
• plugged
• boosted
• overplayed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• played down
• understated
• minimized
• underemphasized
• toned (down)
• de-emphasized
• discounted
• disparaged
• belittled

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of stressed

Adjective

Leonardo DiCaprio is put in quite the pickle as a stressed spy in the solid political thriller. — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026

Using the wrong technique can expose your bush to fungal issues and limit how much water reaches the root zone, leading to a stressed plant that looks lackluster. — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 13 Aug. 2026

Verb

Plummer, the Montgomery County Republican chairman, is now on the ballot for the Ohio state Senate and stressed that Trump has been what keeps the GOP's coalition of businesses and working-class families together. — ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026

But, as the Riders stressed at Chicago Symphony Center on Friday night, that history is alive. — Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 3 Oct. 2026