stress

[ stres ]

/ strɛs /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR stress ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

importance attached to a thing: to lay stress upon good manners.

Phonetics. emphasis in the form of prominent relative loudness of a syllable or a word as a result of special effort in utterance.

Prosody. accent or emphasis on syllables in a metrical pattern; beat.

emphasis in melody, rhythm, etc.; beat.

the physical pressure, pull, or other force exerted on one thing by another; strain.

Mechanics.

the action on a body of any system of balanced forces whereby strain or deformation results.
the amount of stress, usually measured in pounds per square inch or in pascals.
a load, force, or system of forces producing a strain.
the internal resistance or reaction of an elastic body to the external forces applied to it.
the ratio of force to area.

See also strain¹(def 23), shear(def 19), torsion(def 3).

Physiology. a specific response by the body to a stimulus, as fear or pain, that disturbs or interferes with the normal physiological equilibrium of an organism.

physical, mental, or emotional strain or tension: Worry over his job and his wife's health put him under a great stress.

a situation, occurrence, or factor causing this: The stress of being trapped in the elevator gave him a pounding headache.

Archaic. strong or straining exertion.

verb (used with object)

to lay stress on; emphasize.

Phonetics. to pronounce (a syllable or a word) with prominent loudness: Stress the first syllable of “runner.” Stress the second word in “put up with.” Compare accent(def 18).

to subject to stress or strain.

Mechanics. to subject to stress.

verb (used without object)

to experience stress or worry: Don't stress about the turkey; I promise it will be delicious. Dad is always stressing out over his job.

Origin of stress

1275–1325; (noun) Middle English stresse, aphetic variant of distresse distress; (v.) derivative of the noun

OTHER WORDS FROM stress

stress·less, adjective stress·less·ness, noun an·ti·stress, adjective de-stress, verb (used with object)

non·stress, noun o·ver·stressed, adjective re·stress, verb un·der·stress, noun un·der·stress, verb (used with object) well-stressed, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH stress

accent stress

Words nearby stress

streptonigrin, streptosepticemia, streptothricin, streptozocin, stresemann, stress, stress ball, stress fracture, stress mark, stress out, stress position

Example sentences from the Web for stressed

But the president also stressed the importance of hope and optimism.

Obama: Lamest Duck Ever? |Jonathan Alter |November 6, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Udall had stressed the line of attack so frequently that he was dubbed “Mark Uterus,” and it clearly backfired.

For Conservatives, Liberal Tears Taste Sweet |Matt Lewis |November 5, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Greenberg stressed that the show was about offering solutions.

The Mommy Blogger Who Tried to Kill Her Autistic Daughter Talks to Dr. Phil |Elizabeth Picciuto |October 1, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Frieden stressed once again that the virus can be stopped and that it is not airborne.

CDC Director: First U.S. Ebola Patient ‘Critically Ill’ |Abby Haglage |September 30, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

Despite the high numbers, the CDC has stressed the notion that a quick response may render them “very unlikely.”

CDC’s Worst Case Scenario: 1.4 Million Ebola Cases |Abby Haglage |September 23, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
It stressed intuition rather than sensation, direct perception of ultimate truth rather than the processes of logic.

The American Spirit in Literature, |Bliss Perry
As to the old Chinese social and political experience, the Kuomintang stressed study of China's past.

Government in Republican China |Paul Myron Anthony Linebarger
Aristotle emphasized man's altruistic traits, Hobbes stressed his egoistic disposition.

Introduction to the Science of Sociology |Robert E. Park
He stressed the absurdity of surrendering for a crime committed ten years before and forgotten.

The Breaking Point |Mary Roberts Rinehart
Don't you think that cook has stressed the onions a little in the stew to-day?

Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 152, May 23, 1917 |Various

British Dictionary definitions for stressed

stress

/ (strɛs) /

noun

special emphasis or significance attached to something

mental, emotional, or physical strain or tension

emphasis placed upon a syllable by pronouncing it more loudly than those that surround it

such emphasis as part of a regular rhythmic beat in music or poetry

a syllable so emphasized

physics

force or a system of forces producing deformation or strain
the force acting per unit area

verb

(tr) to give emphasis or prominence to

(tr) to pronounce (a word or syllable) more loudly than those that surround it

(tr) to subject to stress or strain

informal (intr) to become stressed or anxious

Derived forms of stress

stressful, adjective stressfully, adverb stressfulness, noun

Word Origin for stress

C14: stresse, shortened from distress

Medical definitions for stressed

stress

[ strĕs ]

n.

An applied force or system of forces that tends to strain or deform a body.

The resisting force set up in a body as a result of an externally applied force.

A physical or psychological stimulus that can produce mental tension or physiological reactions that may lead to illness.

Scientific definitions for stressed

stress

[ strĕs ]

The force per unit area applied to an object. Objects subject to stress tend to become distorted or deformed. Compare strain. See also axial stress shear stress. See more at Hooke's law.

A physiologic reaction by an organism to an uncomfortable or unfamiliar physical or psychological stimulus. Biological changes result from stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system, including a heightened state of alertness, anxiety, increased heart rate, and sweating.
The stimulus or circumstance causing such a reaction.

Cultural definitions for stressed (1 of 2)

stress

In physics, the internal resistance of an object to an external force that tends to deform it.

Cultural definitions for stressed (2 of 2)

stress

A physical factor, such as injury, or mental state, such as anxiety, that disturbs the body's normal state of functioning. Stress may contribute to the development of some illnesses, including heart disease and cancer.

notes for stress

The term stress also refers to the physical and mental state produced in the body when it is influenced by such factors: “The stress of the new job was too much for Tim, so he requested reassignment to his old position in the company.”

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

stress

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Origin of stress

OTHER WORDS FROM stress

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH stress

Words nearby stress

Example sentences from the Web for stressed

British Dictionary definitions for stressed

noun

verb

Derived forms of stress

Word Origin for stress

Medical definitions for stressed

n.

Scientific definitions for stressed

Cultural definitions for stressed (1 of 2)

Cultural definitions for stressed (2 of 2)

notes for stress

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

stress

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Origin of stress

OTHER WORDS FROM stress

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH stress

Words nearby stress

Words related to stressed

Example sentences from the Web for stressed

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for stressed

noun

verb

Derived forms of stress

Word Origin for stress

Medical definitions for stressed

n.

Scientific definitions for stressed

Cultural definitions for stressed (1 of 2)

Cultural definitions for stressed (2 of 2)

notes for stress

British Dictionary definitions for stressed