Standard Lemma guide

distressing

adj · verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /dɪˈstɹɛsɪŋ/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: D IH0 S T R EH1 S IH0 NG Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Causing distress; upsetting; distressful.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The details of the ordeal can be distressing to some readers.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: nerve-racking, deplorable, saddening, grim, atrabiliary, atrabilious, depressing, distressing, grievous, heartbreaking, heartrending, miserable, lamentable, lachrymable, mournful, regrettable, rueful, sad, sorrowful, tragic, unhappy, upsetting, woebegone, woeful

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

present participle and gerund of distress

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, gerund, participle, present

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective satellite

Meaning 3

bad; unfortunate

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • my finances were in a deplorable state
  • a lamentable decision
  • her clothes were in sad shape
  • a sorry state of affairs

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: deplorable, lamentable, pitiful, sad, sorry

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective satellite

Meaning 4

causing distress or worry or anxiety

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • distressing (or disturbing) news
  • lived in heroic if something distressful isolation
  • a disturbing amount of crime
  • a revelation that was most perturbing
  • a new and troubling thought
  • in a particularly worrisome predicament
  • a worrying situation
  • a worrying time

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: distressful, disturbing, perturbing, troubling, worrisome, worrying

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

28 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Albanian: shqetësues — causing distress; upsetting
  • Chinese Mandarin: 令人痛苦的 (lìngrén tòngkǔ de) — causing distress; upsetting
  • Esperanto: angoriga — causing distress; upsetting
  • Finnish: painostava — causing distress; upsetting
  • Finnish: huolestuttava — causing distress; upsetting
  • German: beängstigend — causing distress; upsetting
  • German: beunruhigend — causing distress; upsetting
  • German: furchteinflößend — causing distress; upsetting
  • Ancient Greek: λυπηρός (lupērós) — causing distress; upsetting
  • Ancient Greek: θυμαλγής (thumalgḗs) — causing distress; upsetting
  • Irish: anacrach — causing distress; upsetting
  • Irish: anróiteach — causing distress; upsetting
  • Irish: léanmhar — causing distress; upsetting
  • Irish: coscrach — causing distress; upsetting
  • Italian: desolante — causing distress; upsetting
  • Italian: penoso — causing distress; upsetting
  • Italian: doloroso — causing distress; upsetting
  • Māori: tarariki — causing distress; upsetting
  • Polish: cierpki — causing distress; upsetting
  • Polish: hiobowy — causing distress; upsetting
  • Polish: niepokojący — causing distress; upsetting
  • Polish: przygnębiający — causing distress; upsetting
  • Polish: przykry — causing distress; upsetting
  • Russian: огорчи́тельный (ogorčítelʹnyj) — causing distress; upsetting
  • Russian: печа́льный (pečálʹnyj) — causing distress; upsetting
  • Russian: го́рестный (górestnyj) — causing distress; upsetting
  • Spanish: angustioso — causing distress; upsetting
  • Spanish: distresante — causing distress; upsetting