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distressing

dis·tress

 (dĭ-strĕs′)

tr.v. dis·tressed, dis·tress·ing, dis·tress·es

1. To cause strain, anxiety, or suffering to. See Synonyms at trouble.

2. To mar or otherwise treat (an object or fabric, for example) to give the appearance of an antique or of heavy prior use.

3. Archaic To constrain or overcome by harassment.

n.

1. Anxiety or mental suffering.

2.

a. Bodily dysfunction or discomfort caused by disease or injury: respiratory distress.

b. Physical deterioration, as of a highway, caused by hard use over time: pavement distress.

3.

a. The condition of being in need of immediate assistance: a motorist in distress.

b. Suffering caused by poverty: programs to relieve public distress.

4. Law The act of distraining or seizing goods to compel payment or other satisfaction for a debt or other duty owed; distraint.


[Middle English distressen, from Old French destresser, from destresse, constraint, from Vulgar Latin *districtia, from Latin districtus, past participle of distringere, to hinder; see distrain.]


dis·tress′ing·ly adv.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Adj.1.distressing - causing distress or worry or anxietydistressing - causing distress or worry or anxiety; "distressing (or disturbing) news"; "lived in heroic if something distressful isolation"; "a disturbing amount of crime"; "a revelation that was most perturbing"; "a new and troubling thought"; "in a particularly worrisome predicament"; "a worrying situation"; "a worrying time"

heavy - marked by great psychological weight; weighted down especially with sadness or troubles or weariness; "a heavy heart"; "a heavy schedule"; "heavy news"; "a heavy silence"; "heavy eyelids"

2.distressing - bad; unfortunate; "my finances were in a deplorable state"; "a lamentable decision"; "her clothes were in sad shape"; "a sorry state of affairs"

bad - having undesirable or negative qualities; "a bad report card"; "his sloppy appearance made a bad impression"; "a bad little boy"; "clothes in bad shape"; "a bad cut"; "bad luck"; "the news was very bad"; "the reviews were bad"; "the pay is bad"; "it was a bad light for reading"; "the movie was a bad choice"

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

distressing

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

distressing

adjective

The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Translations

مَكْروب، مَحْزون، مَغْموم

úzkostnýzarmucující

bekymrendeforuroligende

lesújtó

òjakandi; kvíîvænlegur

zarmucujúci

acı/ıstırap veren

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

distressing

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

distressing

[dɪsˈtrɛsɪŋ] adjpenoso/a, doloroso/a

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

distress

(diˈstres) noun

1. great sorrow, trouble or pain. She was in great distress over his disappearance; Is your leg causing you any distress?; The loss of all their money left the family in acute distress.

2. a cause of sorrow. My inability to draw has always been a distress to me.

verb

to cause pain or sorrow to. I'm distressed by your lack of interest.

diˈstressing adjectivediˈstressingly adverb

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.