Distress
/dɪˈstres/
Definitions
2 meaningsA state of extreme worry, sorrow, or pain.
/dɪˈstres/
A state of anxiety or suffering.
The news caused her considerable distress.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're feeling really, really sad or worried, like when you lose your favorite toy or when you're scared of something. That feeling is distress. It’s a kind of emotional ouch!
👶 For kids: When you feel really, really sad or worried, like your tummy hurts and you want to cry, that's distress!
More Examples
The animal was showing signs of distress after being separated from its mother.
They sent out a distress call when the ship began to sink.
How It's Used
"She was clearly in distress after the accident."
"The ship sent a distress signal after hitting an iceberg."
To cause someone or something worry, pain, or unhappiness.
/dɪˈstres/
To cause someone anxiety, sorrow, or pain.
The thought of failure distressed him.
💡 Simply: If you do something that makes someone feel really sad or worried, you are distressing them. Think of when you accidentally hurt a friend's feelings.
👶 For kids: To make someone feel really, really sad or worried, like when you break your toy and they get upset. You are distressing them!
More Examples
The lack of communication distressed her.
The news of her illness distressed her family.
How It's Used
"The events distressed her deeply."
"He did not want to distress his family with the bad news."
Idioms & expressions
in distress
Experiencing great suffering or trouble.
"The ship was in distress and sent out a Mayday signal."
From Old French *destrece* 'narrowness, constraint, affliction', from Latin *distringere* 'to pull apart, harass'.
Historically, 'distress' has been used in legal contexts to describe the seizure of goods to compel the performance of an obligation.
Memory tip
Think of 'dis' meaning 'not' and 'stress'. Distress is the absence of ease, causing mental or physical strain.
Word Origin
"to draw tight, to bind"