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Definition of distressing

distressing

/dɪˈstrɛsɪŋ/
dis · tress · ing
Adverb:distressingly
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distressing Lexical Profile

distressing Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Causing anxiety, sorrow, emotional pain, or acute worry; deeply upsetting.

Example

"The documentary presented a distressing account of how the severe drought affected rural farming communities."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for distressing
Antonyms
View all antonyms for distressing

Word Nuance & Usage

Do not confuse 'distressing' (which describes an external event or situation that causes pain or anxiety, such as 'distressing news') with 'distressed' (which describes a person's internal emotional state of suffering, or material artificially aged for aesthetic purposes).

• Rhymes for distressing

• Nearby Words

distress
distressed
distressful
distressing
distressingly
distributable
distribute

Word Origin & Etymology

Formed from the verb 'distress', which entered Middle English via Anglo-Norman and Old French 'destresce', ultimately deriving from the Vulgar Latin 'districtia' ('restraint, affliction'), from Latin 'distringere' ('to draw apart, hinder, or stretch tight').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Distressing. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/distressing
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