distressed

1 of 2

adjective

dis·​tressed di-ˈstrest How to pronounce distressed (audio)
Synonyms of distressednext
: of, relating to, or experiencing economic decline or difficulty
federal grants for distressed cities

distressed

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of distress entry 2

Examples of distressed in a Sentence

Adjective She felt emotionally and physically distressed. The government provided funds to the economically distressed city. Donations were given to financially distressed families.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
The newspaper reported that one distressed witness was a woman who saw the papier mache engineer's head floating down the water. — Brian Bull, NPR, 3 Sep. 2026 Forman was distressed to find that civics teachers often avoided looking at specific political issues of the day, judging them to be too controversial. — Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 1 Sep. 2026 These slim-fit cut-off jean shorts offer a modern take on the classic jorts, with a distressed look and stretchy material for comfort. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026 Dedicated reconstruction funds are common in postconflict states, and a sovereign wealth fund may be justified to streamline the management of fragmented, distressed, and historically poorly managed public assets. — Jesse Marks, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for distressed

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1613, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of distressed was in 1613

Rhymes for distressed

See All Rhymes for distressed

Browse Nearby Words

distress call
distressed
distressful
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Distressed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/distressed. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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