distraught

adjective

di-ˈstrȯt How to pronounce distraught (audio)
Definition of distraughtnext
as in agitated
feeling overwhelming fear or worry distraught relatives waiting to learn whether there were any survivors of the plane crash

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of distraught The latter seemed distraught over the fact that his first postseason had just ended with a sweep in the ALDS. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026 Sun, who was given a wild card entry by tournament organizers and was making her WTA Tour debut, appeared distraught after the loss. — CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026 Some distraught users took to social media to express their alarm at how the AI agent, which required masses of personal data to operate without detailed instructions, had a habit of going rogue. — Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 19 Sep. 2026 Andrew offers his distraught daughter little sympathy, and from that moment, a murder plot begins to take shape. — Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for distraught
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distraught
  1. agitated
  2. worried
  3. frightened
  4. frantic
  5. scared
  6. terrified
  7. upset
Adjective
  • Pressed by a reporter on a Zoom call about specific players, Wade grew agitated and defiant.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026
  • When the door finally opened, an agitated young man who resembled Ryan Gosling (Rett Keeter) shined an LED flashlight directly into my eyes, a gesture that would become familiar over the next hour.
    — Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of agitated
Adjective
  • Many were worried that this would lead to productivity losses.
    — Volen Vulkov, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • On Monday morning, a relative of Cantrell who was worried that the baby might be Cantrell’s called police.
    — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of worried
Adjective
  • Discovering that your identity has been stolen can leave you feeling angry, frightened and unsure where to begin.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
  • In one video, a young orangutan can be seen crouching in the corner of a small, dark crate, its frightened eyes wide open.
    — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of frightened
Adjective
  • There are plenty of other very cool pieces that become street style staples, but don’t inspire the same frantic desire.
    — Joan Kennedy, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Ajon Singh, who wrote the screenplay, spent a frantic week retooling it to persuade him to change his mind.
    — Alex Barasch, Vulture, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of frantic
Adjective
  • The Democratic nominee against Knott hopes for an upset in a year when even Republican members in safe seats like the 13th District are running scared.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Everyone is scared to testify against Szabo, so his legal case is dismissed.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of scared
Adjective
  • Synagogues canceled Sabbath prayers, while terrified Jewish citizens were warned to conceal skullcaps and flee home.
    — Staff, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Word spread across the city that the Taliban had kill lists of Afghan women activists, and hundreds of terrified women went into hiding.
    — Azadeh Moaveni, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of terrified
Adjective
  • The guests seemed less upset by the death than by the news that their infusions would be halted.
    — D. T. Max, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Instead, Brazil’s veteran leftist leader pulled off a stunning upset.
    — Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of upset

Browse Nearby Words

distrait
distraught
distress
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Cite this Entry

“Distraught.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distraught. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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