First Known Use: 13th century
Dictionary
1distress
noun dis·tress \di-ˈstres\
: unhappiness or pain : suffering that affects the mind or body
: a very difficult situation in which you do not have enough money, food, etc.
of a boat, airplane, etc. : a state of danger or desperate need
Full Definition of DISTRESS
1
a : seizure and detention of the goods of another as pledge or to obtain satisfaction of a claim by the sale of the goods seized b : something that is distrained
2
a : pain or suffering affecting the body, a bodily part, or the mind : trouble <gastric distress> b : a painful situation : misfortune
3
: a state of danger or desperate need <a ship in distress>
See distress defined for English-language learners
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Origin of DISTRESS
Middle English destresse, from Anglo-French destresce, from Vulgar Latin *districtia, from Latin districtus, past participle of distringere
Related to DISTRESS
- Synonyms
- affliction, agony, anguish, excruciation, hurt, misery, pain, rack, strait(s), torment, torture, travail, tribulation, woe
- Antonyms
- safeness, safety, secureness, security
Synonym Discussion of DISTRESS
distress, suffering, misery, agony mean the state of being in great trouble. distress implies an external and usually temporary cause of great physical or mental strain and stress <the hurricane put everyone in great distress>. suffering implies conscious endurance of pain or distress <the suffering of famine victims>. misery stresses the unhappiness attending especially sickness, poverty, or loss <the homeless live with misery every day>. agony suggests pain too intense to be borne <in agony over the death of their child>.
Other Psychology Terms
Rhymes with DISTRESS
abscess, access, address, aggress, assess, bench-press, caress, clothespress, coatdress, cold-press, compress, confess, cross-dress, CS, depress, de-stress, digress, drill press, egress, excess, express, finesse, fluoresce, French press, full-dress, handpress, headdress, housedress, idlesse, impress, ingress, Meknes, much less, nightdress, noblesse, no less, obsess, oppress, outguess, possess, precess, prestress, princess, process, profess, progress, recess, redress, regress, re-press, repress, shirtdress, side-dress, SS, success, sundress, suppress, tendresse, top-dress, transgress, undress, unless, web press, winepress, word stress
2distress
verb
: to worry or upset (someone)
Full Definition of DISTRESS
transitive verb
1
: to subject to great strain or difficulties <homes distressed by poverty>
2
archaic : to force or overcome by inflicting pain
3
: to cause to worry or be troubled : upset <don't let the news distress you>
4
: to mar (as clothing or wood) deliberately to give an effect of age <a distressed table>
— dis·tress·ing·ly \-ˈstre-siŋ-lē\ adverb
See distress defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of DISTRESS
14th century
Related to DISTRESS
- Synonyms
- agitate, ail, alarm (also alarum), 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
- Antonyms
- calm, compose, quiet, settle, soothe, tranquilize (also tranquillize)
3distress
adjective
Definition of DISTRESS
1
: offered for sale at a loss <distress merchandise>
2
: involving distress goods <a distress sale>
First Known Use of DISTRESS
1926
DISTRESS Defined for Kids
1distress
noun dis·tress \di-ˈstres\
Definition of DISTRESS for Kids
1
: physical or mental pain or suffering
2
: a state of danger or desperate need <The ship was in distress.>
2distress
verb
dis·tresseddis·tress·ing
Definition of DISTRESS for Kids
: to upset or cause to worry <The news distressed her.>
— dis·tress·ing·ly \di-ˈstre-siŋ-lē\ adverb
Medical Dictionary
distress
noun dis·tress \dis-ˈtres\
Medical Definition of DISTRESS
: pain or suffering affecting the body, a bodily part, or the mind <gastric distress> <respiratory distress>
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