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Distressing: meaning, definitions and examples

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distressing

 

[ dɪˈstrɛsɪŋ ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

feeling

Causing anxiety, sorrow, or pain; upsetting or disheartening.

Synonyms

alarming, disheartening, upsetting, worrying

Examples of usage

  • It was distressing to see the devastation caused by the natural disaster.
  • She received distressing news about her family member's health.
  • The distressing images from the war zone left a lasting impact on the viewers.
  • The distressing sound of sirens filled the air.
  • The distressing situation brought tears to her eyes.
Context #2 | Adjective

appearance

Having a worn, troubled, or strained appearance.

Synonyms

strained, troubled, worn

Examples of usage

  • His distressing expression revealed the pain he was feeling.
  • She had a distressing look in her eyes, as if she had been crying.

Translations

Translations of the word "distressing" in other languages:

🇵🇹 angustiante

🇮🇳 कष्टप्रद

🇩🇪 beunruhigend

🇮🇩 menyedihkan

🇺🇦 тривожний

🇵🇱 niepokojący

🇯🇵 心を痛める

🇫🇷 angoissant

🇪🇸 angustiante

🇹🇷 üzücü

🇰🇷 괴로운

🇸🇦 مزعج

🇨🇿 znepokojivý

🇸🇰 znepokojujúci

🇨🇳 令人痛苦的

🇸🇮 zaskrbljujoč

🇮🇸 kvíðvænlegt

🇰🇿 мазасыздандыратын

🇬🇪 მტანჯველი

🇦🇿 narahatlıq doğuran

🇲🇽 angustiante

Etymology

The word 'distressing' originated from the verb 'distress', which comes from the Old French word 'destrecier', meaning 'to constrain' or 'to oppress'. Over time, 'distress' evolved to also mean 'suffering' or 'anguish', leading to the adjective 'distressing' to describe something that causes anxiety or sorrow.

See also: distress, distressed, distressingly.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranked #12,453, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.