stressed

adjective

ˈstrest 

: subjected to or affected by stress

Feeling stressed can often lead people to reach for a high-calorie, sugary comfort food.

—Alexa Mikhail

As important as training is to distance running, the time devoted to repair stressed muscles between races is even more crucial.

—Joseph Hall

That translates into a drought, and stressed trees are highly susceptible to beetle infestations.

—Jim Robbins

… the soundscape inside these vehicles, punctuated by mechanical rattles and the groans of stressed metal …

—Chris Knight

—often used with out

—often hyphenated before a noun

She's never looked so stressed out, or been so unflatteringly photographed.

—David Ansen

… the kind of help most stressed-out parents can only dream of …

—Michelle Tauber et al.

Synonyms of stressed

• tired
• exhausted
• nervous

Examples of stressed in a Sentence

He was feeling pretty stressed about the deadline.

you seem really stressed right now, so maybe you should try to do something more relaxing

Recent Examples on the Web

This unsightly weed is an aggressive grower that outcompetes turf for water, nutrients, and sunlight, resulting in a stressed lawn with bald patches. —Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 26 Apr. 2026

Garden centers may offer discount starter plants as the season progresses, but these veggies become increasingly stressed and stunted. —Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Apr. 2026

Beta cells become stressed when overworked or exposed to harmful conditions. —Angelica P. Ahrens, The Conversation, 21 Apr. 2026

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan think tank, has advocated for something similar, recently proposing a plan that would allow the government to nimbly navigate its stressed budget the next time the economy enters a downturn. —Tristan Bove, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1973, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing stressed

• stressed been
• stressed BIN
• stressed-out

Rhymes for stressed

• abreast
• accessed
• addressed
• appressed
• armrest
• arrest
• assessed
• attest
• backrest
• behest
• bequest
• caressed