Distress — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb adjective /di-ˈstres/ dis·tress

Meaning & Definition of Distress

Distress (noun)

  1. seizure and detention of the goods of another as pledge or to obtain satisfaction of a claim by the sale of the goods seized
  2. something that is distrained
  3. pain or suffering affecting the body, a bodily part, or the mind, trouble

Distress (verb)

  1. to subject to great strain or difficulties
  2. to force or overcome by inflicting pain
  3. to cause to worry or be troubled, upset

Distress (adjective)

  1. offered for sale at a loss
  2. involving distress goods

Distress (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a state of great suffering of body or mind

    "the upcoming bar exam is causing us considerable distress"

    "the survivors were in extreme distress after having been stranded on the island for a week with no food"

    similar: affliction, agony, anguish, excruciation, hurt, misery, pain, rack, strait(s), torment, torture, travail, tribulation, woe
    related: discomfort, cross, crucible, trial, heartache, heartbreak, joylessness, sadness, sorrow, unhappiness, emergency, pinch, asperity, difficulty, hardship, rigor, ache, pang, smarting, soreness, stitch, throe, twinge, danger, jeopardy, trouble
    near: comfort, consolation, solace, alleviation, assuagement, ease, relief, peace, security, well-being

  2. the state of not being protected from injury, harm, or evil

    "a ship in distress"

    similar: danger, endangerment, harm's way, imperilment, jeopardy, peril, risk, trouble
    related: exposure, liability, openness, vulnerability, precariousness, threat, susceptibility, susceptibleness, defenselessness, helplessness, weakness
    opposite: safeness, safety, secureness, security
    near: preservation, salvation, defense, protection, exemption, immunity, impunity, inviolability, invulnerability

Distress (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy

    "don't let all the bad news distress you"

    similar: agitate, ail, alarm, bother, concern, derail, discomfort, discompose, dismay, disquiet, distemper, distract, disturb, exercise, flurry, frazzle, freak (out), fuss, hagride, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, weird out, worry
    related: aggravate, anger, annoy, bug, chafe, chivy, exasperate, fret, gall, get, grate, harass, harry, irk, irritate, nettle, peeve, pester, pique, put off, put out, rile, vex, bedevil, haunt, plague, abash, confound, confuse, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, embarrass, faze, fluster, jar, mortify, nonplus, rattle, shake up, daunt, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dispirit, unnerve
    opposite: calm, compose, quiet, settle, soothe, tranquilize
    near: allay, alleviate, assuage, appease, conciliate, mollify, pacify, placate, propitiate

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Distress

The most common words with a similar meaning to Distress:

affliction, agony, anguish, excruciation, hurt, misery, pain, rack, strait(s), torment, torture, travail, tribulation, woe, danger, endangerment, harm's way, imperilment, jeopardy, peril, risk, trouble, agitate, ail, alarm, bother, concern, derail, discomfort, discompose, dismay, disquiet, distemper, distract, disturb, exercise, flurry, frazzle, freak (out), fuss

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Distress

Words with the opposite meaning of Distress:

safeness, safety, secureness, security, calm, compose, quiet, settle, soothe, tranquilize

Related Words for Distress

cross, crucible, trial, heartache, heartbreak, joylessness, sadness, sorrow, unhappiness, emergency, pinch, asperity, difficulty, hardship, rigor, ache, pang, smarting, soreness, stitch, throe, twinge, exposure, liability, openness, vulnerability, precariousness, threat, susceptibility, susceptibleness

Near Antonyms of Distress

comfort, consolation, solace, alleviation, assuagement, ease, relief, peace, well-being, preservation, salvation, defense, protection, exemption, immunity, impunity, inviolability, invulnerability, allay, alleviate, assuage, appease, conciliate, mollify, pacify, placate, propitiate

Word Forms of Distress

Inflections: distresses, distressed, distressing

Derived words: distressingly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Distress

Middle English destresse, from Anglo-French destresce, from Vulgar Latin *districtia, from Latin districtus, past participle of distringere see distrain

First known use: 13th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Distress

Words & Phrases Containing Distress

distress signal/call, distress signal, acute respiratory distress syndrome, adult respiratory distress syndrome, respiratory distress syndrome, in distress

Frequently Asked Questions about Distress

What does "Distress" mean?

"Distress" means seizure and detention of the goods of another as pledge or to obtain satisfaction of a claim by the sale of the goods seized. As an a noun, a verb and an adjective, it is defined as: seizure and detention of the goods of another as pledge or to obtain satisfaction of a claim by the sale of the goods seized. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Distress"?

Other words for "Distress" include affliction, agony, anguish, excruciation, hurt, misery, pain and rack. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Distress" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Distress"?

There are 127 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Distress". Common alternatives include affliction, agony, anguish, excruciation, hurt, misery, pain, rack, strait(s) and torment.

What is the opposite of "Distress"?

Antonyms of "Distress" include safeness, safety, secureness, security, calm, compose, quiet and settle. Near antonyms include comfort, consolation, solace and alleviation.

How do you use "Distress" in a sentence?

Examples of "Distress" in a sentence: "the upcoming bar exam is causing us considerable distress"; "the survivors were in extreme distress after having been stranded on the island for a week with no food"; "a ship in distress".

Is "Distress" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Distress" can be used as a noun, a verb and an adjective, depending on the context.

Is "Distress" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Distress" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Distress"?

"Distress" is pronounced /di-ˈstres/ and divided into syllables as dis·tress.