as in pains
a state of great suffering of body or mind
the upcoming bar exam is causing us considerable distress the survivors were in extreme distress after having been stranded on the island for a week with no food
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in disturbs
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
don't let all the bad news distress you
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distresses
Noun
-
Iran’s political leadership has been at pains to dispel reports of infighting and to project a unified approach to the country’s military objectives and negotiating strategy.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
22 Apr. 2026 -
The pressures of fame and the pains of Michael’s brand of friendlessness are barely explored, beyond the requisite scenes of screaming fans crowding outside the family estate and a terrified Michael attempting to get away from them (while still politely waving).—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The worms thrash and move erratically with a snake-like motion that disturbs the topsoil.—
Maria Braganini,
CBS News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
There are lots of things weightlessness disturbs, even in the short run.—
Elizabeth Howell,
Space.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
And yet, in the scene on the Hill of Love, Lapid offers no self-questioning, no sense of cinematic exertion or trouble, in the fictional framing of the real agonies of Gaza.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The celebrated poet and memoirist, delves into the agonies of her decision and describes the emerging women’s liberation movement, of which Moore would soon become a participant.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
None of that, nor the fact Beckham missed all of 2025, bothers Harbaugh.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Even if their own tax bill is manageable, the idea that the wealthy are underpaying — or that the government is wasting their dollars — bothers many.—
Linley Sanders,
Fortune,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Inarguably one of the best teams in the country annually, the Boilermakers had a string of March miseries.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
18 Mar. 2026
-
And allergy miseries don’t end after the spring.—
Tom Gavin,
EverydayHealth.com,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
With irrigation shrinking and solar replacing crops, longtime farmworker Rosa Ramirez worries about disappearing jobs.—
Jeff St. John,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
-
More than anything, Arca worries about safety in the shelter — but not from the war.—
Theia Chatelle,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Or maybe a still-working phonograph of Edison’s invention distracts you, until a wall of portraits of 1920s electrical manufacturing workers pulls your gaze in a new direction.—
Michael Kilian,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Ultimately, this distracts from the struggles experienced by all those marginalized on the basis of gender.—
Jenna Norosky,
The Conversation,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
And most importantly, concerns that other organizations would use their spending to push for a salary tax in upcoming labor negotiations.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Lack of direct tax cuts concerns GOP Republican lawmakers say Connecticut still can afford to deliver direct relief to taxpayers, provided the state does a better job controlling the growth of costs.—
Keith M. Phaneuf,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Distresses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distresses. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
