Skip to content

distress

/dɪˈstɹɛs/noun, verb2 syllables

Distress means: psychological suffering.

Synonyms for distress19

noun, as in psychological suffering

hurt, suffering

noun, as in the seizure and holding of property as security for payment of a debt or satisfaction of a claim

distraint

verb, as in bring into difficulties or distress, especially financial hardship

straiten

also used for distress

anguish, torment, hardship, sorrow, affliction, aggrievance, grief, grievance, misery, ruth, jeopardy, peril, adventure, danger, harm's way

Includes material from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

What does distress mean?6

noun

1

psychological suffering“the death of his wife caused him great distress”

2

the seizure and holding of property as security for payment of a debt or satisfaction of a claim“Originally distress was a landlord's remedy against a tenant for unpaid rents or property damage but now the landlord is given a landlord's lien”

3

a state of adversity (danger or affliction or need)“a ship in distress”

4

extreme physical pain“the patient appeared to be in distress”

verb

1

bring into difficulties or distress, especially financial hardship

2

cause mental pain to“The news of her child's illness distressed the mother”

Definitions from the Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

What rhymes with distress?33

three syllables

nonethelessgpsirsabs

four syllables

nevertheless
Show 40 near rhymes
whentheirtheregetthemthenwellsaidwherebesthelpagainnextagainstendleftletsetcarereadyettellheadmenwentsayshealthfriendsdeathelseairfriendredcheckmyselfyourselfwestgetshimselfself

All 33 rhymes for distress, grouped by syllable

Distress in a sentence

  • The ship was in distress, to it lit a flare.DuosDragonPolyglot
  • The patient remained quiescent, showing no signs of distress or movement.rul
  • Distress does not kill, but quietness does not revive either.AmarMecheri
  • Many people were plunged into distress by the news.unknown
  • The ship's captain ordered the radio operator to send a distress signal.CK
  • Her death was a great distress to all the family.unknown
  • It isn't simple to forgive those who have caused you distress.Nuel
  • We have overcome the first obstacle with sorrow and distress.eadbannon

Sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR, credited to their authors.

Forms of distress

as a noun

plural
distresses

as a verb

past tense
distressed
present participle
distressing
third-person singular
distresses
past participle
distressed