distressed

[ dih-strest ]

/ dɪˈstrɛst /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR distressed ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

affected with or suffering from distress.

(of merchandise or property for sale) damaged, out-of-date, or used.

(of real estate) foreclosed and offered for sale.

(of furniture) purposely blemished or marred so as to give an antique appearance.

(of fabric) made or processed to appear faded or wrinkled, as if from long, steady use: Our best-selling jeans are the ones in distressed denim.

Origin of distressed

First recorded in 1580–90; distress + -ed²

OTHER WORDS FROM distressed

dis·tress·ed·ly

[dih-stres-id-lee, -strest-lee] /dɪˈstrɛs ɪd li, -ˈstrɛst li/, adverb dis·tress·ed·ness, noun qua·si-dis·tressed, adjective un·dis·tressed, adjective

Words nearby distressed

distress frequency, distress gun, distress merchandise, distress sale, distress signal, distressed, distressed area, distressful, distributary, distribute, distributed

Definition for distressed (2 of 2)

distress

[ dih-stres ]

/ dɪˈstrɛs /

noun

great pain, anxiety, or sorrow; acute physical or mental suffering; affliction; trouble.

a state of extreme necessity or misfortune.

the state of a ship or airplane requiring immediate assistance, as when on fire in transit.

that which causes pain, suffering, trouble, danger, etc.

liability or exposure to pain, suffering, trouble, etc.; danger: a damsel in distress.

Law.

the legal seizure and detention of the goods of another as security or satisfaction for debt, etc.; the act of distraining.
the thing seized in distraining.

to dent, scratch, or stain (furniture, lumber, or the like) so as to give an appearance of age.

adjective

afflicted with or suffering distress: distress livestock; distress wheat.

caused by or indicative of distress or hardship: distress prices; distress borrowing.

verb (used with object)

to afflict with great pain, anxiety, or sorrow; trouble; worry; bother.

to subject to pressure, stress, or strain; embarrass or exhaust by strain: to be distressed by excessive work.

to compel by pain or force of circumstances: His suffering distressed him into committing suicide.

Origin of distress

1250–1300; (noun) Middle English destresse < Anglo-French distresse, destresse, Old French < Vulgar Latin *districtia, equivalent to Latin district(us) (see district) + -ia -y³; (v.) Middle English destressen < Anglo-French destresser (Old French destrecier), derivative of the noun

SYNONYMS FOR distress

1 agony, anguish, adversity, tribulation. See sorrow.

2 need, destitution.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR distress ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR distress

1 comfort.

SEE ANTONYMS FOR distress ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM distress

dis·tress·ing·ly, adverb pre·dis·tress, noun, verb (used with object)

Example sentences from the Web for distressed

Now the center was being used for “Ebola orphans” – lost children, shunned children, distressed children.

The Life of a Liberian Child with Ebola |Sarah Crowe |November 5, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
But his recent Twitter feed, filled with dozens of angry and depressed rants, showed Fryberg was distressed.

The Homecoming Prince Who Tweeted His Killing Spree |Brandy Zadrozny |October 24, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
When told that the Gathering was back in her area, she was distressed.

A Report From the Misunderstood Gathering of the Juggalos |Steve Miller |July 28, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
I thought, who do I want to know the most about, distressed or violent or crazy people?

Surviving War Doesn’t Turn All Veterans into Victims, Sometimes it Helps Them Grow |David Morris |May 18, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

Yet they were also distressed and filled with envy over the slightest inequalities that remained.

What’s At Stake In The Tocqueville/Piketty Debate |James Poulos |April 27, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
He could not but obey the summons of her distressed beauty, perfect knight of chivalry that he was.

The King of Alsander |James Elroy Flecker
Dr. Ingleby, for one, was distressed by its “painful stare, with goggle eyes and gaping mouth.”

Summer Days in Shakespeare Land |Charles G. Harper
Last evening we read a chapter by the bedside of the distressed sailor.

Eli and Sibyl Jones |Rufus Matthew Jones
It struck her as a species of ghastly sentiment, which at once distressed, and impelled her to hysterical mirth.

The Butterfly House |Mary E. Wilkins Freeman
"I need not say how shocked and distressed I am," he said, from his platform on the landing.

The Ladies Lindores, Vol. 2(of 3) |Margaret Oliphant

British Dictionary definitions for distressed (1 of 2)

distressed

/ (dɪˈstrɛst) /

adjective

much troubled; upset; afflicted

in financial straits; poor

(of furniture, fabric, etc) having signs of ageing artificially applied

economics another word for depressed (def. 4)

British Dictionary definitions for distressed (2 of 2)

distress

/ (dɪˈstrɛs) /

verb (tr)

to cause mental pain to; upset badly

(usually passive) to subject to financial or other trouble

to damage (esp furniture), as by scratching or denting it, in order to make it appear older than it is

law a less common word for distrain

archaic to compel

noun

mental pain; anguish

the act of distressing or the state of being distressed

physical or financial trouble

in distress (of a ship, aircraft, etc) in dire need of help

law

the seizure and holding of property as security for payment of or in satisfaction of a debt, claim, etc; distraint
the property thus seized
US (as modifier)distress merchandise

Derived forms of distress

distressful, adjective distressfully, adverb distressfulness, noun distressing, adjective, noun

distressingly, adverb

Word Origin for distress

C13: from Old French destresse distress, via Vulgar Latin, from Latin districtus divided in mind; see distrain

Medical definitions for distressed

distress

[ dĭ-strĕs′ ]

n.

Mental or physical suffering or anguish.

Severe strain resulting from exhaustion or trauma.

Other words from distress

dis•tress′ adj.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

distressed

adjective

Origin of distressed

OTHER WORDS FROM distressed

Words nearby distressed

Definition for distressed (2 of 2)

noun

adjective

verb (used with object)

Origin of distress

SYNONYMS FOR distress

ANTONYMS FOR distress

OTHER WORDS FROM distress

Example sentences from the Web for distressed

British Dictionary definitions for distressed (1 of 2)

adjective

British Dictionary definitions for distressed (2 of 2)

verb (tr)

noun

Derived forms of distress

Word Origin for distress

Medical definitions for distressed

n.

Other words from distress

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

distressed

adjective

Origin of distressed

OTHER WORDS FROM distressed

Words nearby distressed

Definition for distressed (2 of 2)

noun

adjective

verb (used with object)

Origin of distress

SYNONYMS FOR distress

ANTONYMS FOR distress

OTHER WORDS FROM distress

Words related to distressed

Example sentences from the Web for distressed

British Dictionary definitions for distressed (1 of 2)

adjective

British Dictionary definitions for distressed (2 of 2)

verb (tr)

noun

Derived forms of distress

Word Origin for distress

Medical definitions for distressed

n.

Other words from distress