stress
stress Lexical Profile
stress Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances.
"She practices meditation every morning to help manage her work-related stress."
Particular emphasis or importance given to a point, statement, or idea.
"During the orientation, the dean laid great stress on academic integrity."
Physical pressure, pull, or other force exerted on one object by another; the internal force per unit area within a material.
"Engineers calculated the maximum structural stress the bridge piers could safely withstand."
The relative prominence or vocal force given to a particular syllable in a word, or to a word in a phrase.
"In the noun form of 'record', the primary stress falls on the first syllable."
• verb
To give particular emphasis or importance to a point, statement, or idea.
"The safety instructor stressed the need to wear protective goggles in the laboratory."
To cause mental or emotional strain or anxiety to someone, or to experience such strain oneself.
"Try not to stress over minor details that are beyond your control."
To subject a material object or physical structure to mechanical pressure, tension, or strain.
"High winds can severely stress the outer frame of a tall building."
To pronounce a syllable or word with greater vocal prominence or force.
"Language learners often need practice to know which syllable to stress in multisyllabic words."
• Rhymes for stress
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Middle English, partly a shortening of distress and partly from Old French estrece ('narrowness, oppression'), ultimately derived from Latin strictus, the past participle of stringere ('to draw tight').