Thesaurus results for DISTRESSES

distresses 1 of 2

noun

plural of distress

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

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distresses

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of distress

as in disturbs

to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy don't let all the bad news distress you

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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 distresses

Noun

Pain, infection, medication side effects, and other physical and emotional distresses may be expressed through shouting, intimidating gestures, kicking, pushing, or punching. — Jordan Rau, NPR, 19 July 2026

Verb

About 6 million Americans had opioid use disorder — a problematic pattern of opioid use that significantly impairs or distresses a patient — as of 2022, according to the CDC. — Amber Gaudet, Charlotte Observer, 6 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for distresses

Noun

Nielsen has taken great pains to caution that there is no guarantee that ratings gains will accompany these changes, which are being implemented to further improve the accuracy of its data gathering.

— Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 19 Aug. 2026
If an infected person has trouble breathing, persistent chest pains or pressure, loses consciousness or sudden confusion, call 911.

— Hali Smith, Idaho Statesman, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of pains

Verb

Tilling or plowing in the summer disturbs the soil's delicate ecosystem and exposes moist soil to rapid water loss.

— Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 24 June 2026
The pier in Michigan City’s Washington Park disturbs the natural flow of sand along the lakeshore, creating new land east of the pier but starving beaches to the west, an erosion problem repeated by other manmade structures that jut out into Lake Michigan.

— Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026

Definition of disturbs

Verb

That sequencing bothers people who’ve spent careers being told that data systems need privacy protections designed in, not bolted on after a scandal.

— Karl W. Bickel, Baltimore Sun, 25 Aug. 2026
Kurt's key takeaways What bothers me most about this scam is that criminals are going after people who may have the fewest options to protect themselves.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of bothers

Noun

Cyclospora, an intestinal parasite, has sickened thousands of people and hospitalized hundreds with explosive diarrhea, painful cramping, or other gastrointestinal miseries.

— Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 3 Aug. 2026
The sad thing is that the miseries return, but there is no other Garrincha available.

— Jack Lang, New York Times, 28 May 2026

Definition of miseries

Verb

The second is no small consideration in a system where sponsors are sued with some regularity, and Cerulli reports that worries about fees and litigation have slowed sponsors from changing their target-date arrangements at all.

— Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Red velvet cake, but no happy surprises Cristi McGarey’s family often worries about the impact of what has felt like an unending deployment on her 22-year-old son.

— Chris Quintana, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of worries

Verb

There’s the studio version, which has some really interesting production, with Meg’s shuddering percussion that eventually grates and distracts, and Jack’s very chunky guitar.

— Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2026
Outer Banks’ success has always rested on an emotional depth that distracts from nonsense plot points and over-the-top escapades.

— CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of distracts

Verb

Urgent Matter reports that the dispute concerns a preservation easement on the nineteen-story building, Frank Lloyd Wright‘s only skyscraper, completed in 1956, and located forty-five miles north of Tulsa.

— News Desk, Artforum, 19 Aug. 2026
The three-level promoter structure applies regardless of whether the change concerns a new product, new service, or internal process innovation.

— IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of concerns

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“Distresses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distresses. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of distresses

noun

verb

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