Stressful
ˈstresfəl
Definitions
Causing a feeling of stress or anxiety; involving a lot of pressure or worry.
ˈstresfəl
Causing mental or emotional strain or tension.
The exam was a stressful experience for all the students.
💡 Simply: When something is stressful, it's like a big, heavy backpack you have to carry around all day. It makes you feel worried and tired, like when you have too much homework or a big test coming up.
👶 For kids: When something is stressful, it makes you feel worried or sad because it is hard or scary.
More Examples
Dealing with a difficult boss can be stressful.
The city's fast-paced lifestyle is very stressful.
How It's Used
"Researchers often study stressful situations and their impact on mental health."
"The demanding deadlines created a stressful work environment."
"Traffic can be a stressful part of the daily commute."
Idioms & expressions
stress relief
Actions taken to reduce stress.
"She practices yoga as a form of stress relief."
under stress
Feeling pressure, strain, or difficulty.
"The team worked well under stress to complete the project on time."
From 'stress' + '-ful', the suffix '-ful' denotes 'full of' or 'characterized by'. 'Stress' itself comes from Old French 'estrece', meaning 'narrowness, oppression' and further traces back to Latin 'stringere' (to draw tight).
The word 'stressful' gained popularity with the rise of modern psychology and the understanding of stress in the 20th century. Its usage increased significantly in the context of work, health, and lifestyle discussions.
Memory tip
Think of a situation that makes you want to 'stretch' your nerves.