as in difficult
full of or causing stress; making you feel worried or anxious
I had a stressful day at work today. a stressful situation
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Recent Examples of stressful
During the event, Mayer explained that people handle stressful situations differently, noting that while some people like to do things themselves, others look to professionals for help, using an analogy of car troubles to drive home the message.
—
Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 25 Apr. 2026
The five-year, $11 billion project will add 16 miles of express lanes and a dedicated busway with the aim of alleviating traffic on one of Atlanta’s most stressful roads.
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Mother’s Day doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag or a stressful reservation to feel meaningful.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Making dessert for a crowd is stressful.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stressful
Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 25 Apr. 2026
The five-year, $11 billion project will add 16 miles of express lanes and a dedicated busway with the aim of alleviating traffic on one of Atlanta’s most stressful roads.
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Mother’s Day doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag or a stressful reservation to feel meaningful.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Making dessert for a crowd is stressful.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stressful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stressful
Adjective
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But with the Lightning taking back home-ice advantage with this win and the series shifting back to Tampa, where Cooper will have full control of the matchup, the task becomes that much more difficult for the Suzuki line.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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Tornadoes are extremely difficult to see and confirm at night.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Lightly coated with oil and tossed occasionally in a searing hot skillet or wok, even tough beans turn silky, and ready to coat in a finishing blast of chiles.—
The Bon Appétit Staff,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
1 May 2026
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Comfortable travel can be achieved with stretchy, breathable pants, but securing a pair that hits those marks while looking stylish can be tough.—
Rachel Trujillo,
Travel + Leisure,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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More than half of the search-and-rescue workers who show up for the most trying missions are BUSARs.—
Paige Williams,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
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And Modi and Xi have had a more trying relationship than either has had with Putin.—
Thomas Wright,
The Atlantic,
17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stressful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stressful. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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