distressed

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

Examples of distressed in a Sentence

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.
The throwback shoes complemented her distressed jeans while, of course, looking very cool. — Kaelin Dodge, InStyle, 25 June 2026 Each features clouded bubbles to suggest aging, and the Air Max 90 takes the idea further with a distressed upper in the Infrared colorway. — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 30 June 2026 Yet Marketplace Pulse research shows only 23% of sellers are growing revenue and improving margins at the same time; the rest are either grinding or distressed. — Dani Nadel, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026 Rising Tide Partners began acquiring distressed properties five years ago with the promise of transforming struggling neighborhoods. — Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for distressed

Word History

First Known Use

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 10 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on distressed

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for distressed

Nglish: Translation of distressed for Spanish Speakers

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