distressed

1 of 2

adjective

dis·​tressed di-ˈstrest How to pronounce distressed (audio)
Synonyms of distressednext
: of, relating to, or experiencing economic decline or difficulty
federal grants for distressed cities

distressed

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of distress entry 2

Examples of distressed in a Sentence

Adjective She felt emotionally and physically distressed. The government provided funds to the economically distressed city. Donations were given to financially distressed families.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
The stocks are already down over 30% each in October as credit investors blew their yields out to distressed levels, doubting their business model of using aggressive levels of debt to build data centers. — Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026 Early rock-and-roll double denim was common, usually featuring some sort of distressed indigo jeans and a chambray work shirt. — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2026 Officials said hunters should watch for signs of infection, including visible maggots in wounds, foul-smelling injuries and animals that appear weak or distressed. — Kierra Frazier, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026 The City Council on Thursday passed the Community Opportunity to Purchase Act, a controversial bill that would give nonprofits first dibs at purchasing certain distressed residential buildings in the five boroughs. — Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for distressed

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1613, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of distressed was in 1613

Rhymes for distressed

See All Rhymes for distressed

Browse Nearby Words

distress call
distressed
distressful
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Distressed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/distressed. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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