distressing 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of distressingnext
1
as in disturbing
causing worry or anxiety distressing signs that another war might be imminent

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2
as in tragic
of a kind to cause great distress the distressing death of our favorite actor

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3
as in uneasy
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings the distressing habit of constantly fiddling with her hair

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distressing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of distress
as in alarming
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy don't let all the bad news distress you

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Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for distressing
  1. disturbing
  2. tragic
  3. uneasy
  4. unsettling
  5. unfortunate
  6. anxious
  7. distracting
  8. troubling
Adjective
  • One of the more disturbing results was from the dinner party at the Brooklyn apartment of my ProPublica colleague.
    Topher Sanders, ProPublica, 9 Dec. 2024
  • Duchamp spent the last twenty years of his life working in secret on a three-dimensional tableau vivant of a naked, headless female body in a realistic landscape, a strangely disturbing image that is both a summary of his meta-retinal art and a total departure from it.
    Calvin Tomkins, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
Definition of disturbing
Adjective
  • The coroner’s report into the death of British TV doctor Michael Mosley has revealed further details into the tragic final moments of the popular presenter and writer on a Greek island holiday.
    Caroline Frost, Deadline, 22 Dec. 2024
  • The new Metropolis Cinema location is located in Beirut’s Mar Mikhael district right across from where the tragic Beirut port blast occurred on Aug. 4, 2020 — one of the biggest non-nuclear explosions ever recorded — in which more than 200 people died.
    Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 21 Dec. 2024
Definition of tragic
Adjective
  • But the series also revealed an uneasy disconnect between the British public and the media.
    Katie Marie Davies, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Dec. 2024
  • Here, she’s filmed upside-down against a stark white sky with the old girl bobbing on an uneasy axis.
    Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024
Definition of uneasy
Adjective
  • And Robert Zemeckis' 2009 take featuring Jim Carrey is noteworthy for a few reasons: Not only are the ghosts downright terrifying, but the animation style is also unsettling, and may scare you for all the wrong reasons.
    Huntley Woods, EW.com, 19 Dec. 2024
  • In addition to this unsettling experience, Robbins shared with Newsweek a moment of unexpected kindness during her return flight.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
Definition of unsettling
Adjective
  • Absentees from injury are unfortunate, suspensions less so.
    Simon Johnson, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
  • The unfortunate trend is certainly concerning for a Lions team that is hoping to make a deep playoff run.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
Definition of unfortunate
Adjective
  • Farmers are anxious about the loss of farmland, and the Manx National Farmers’ Union has opposed plans elsewhere to convert agricultural land to rainforest.
    Christine Ro, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
  • This promise has left people in the area anxious about the deep impact new workplace raids could have on the community's psyche and the economy.
    Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, NPR, 9 Dec. 2024
Definition of anxious
Verb
  • Yet another highly sought after PR guru, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the sensational nature of the complaint is distracting from an industry reality.
    Matt Donnelly, Variety, 23 Dec. 2024
  • The distracting little notification badges!
    Allison Johnson, The Verge, 22 Dec. 2024
Definition of distracting
Adjective
  • Even as such shooting deaths have fallen over the years, there are troubling trends: Children ages 1 to 4 are more likely to be victims, the data shows, and those toddlers are more often Black children.
    John Diedrich, USA TODAY, 14 Dec. 2024
  • The study's findings paint a troubling picture of the current state of provider directories.
    Tammy Hawes, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
Definition of troubling
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Thesaurus Entries Near distressing

distressfully

distressing

distressingly

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“Distressing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distressing. Accessed 27 Dec. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on distressing

Nglish: Translation of distressing for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of distressing for Arabic Speakers

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