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Distress synonyms

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worry
A troubled state of mind; anxiety; distress; care; uneasiness
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  1. A troubled state of mind; anxiety; distress; care; uneasiness
  2. The act of worrying or the condition of being worried; persistent mental uneasiness:
  3. Something that causes anxiety
anxiety
A cause of anxiety:
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  1. A cause of anxiety:
  2. (Psychiatry) An abnormal state like this, characterized by a feeling of being powerless and unable to cope with threatening events, typically imaginary, and by physical tension, as shown by sweating, trembling, etc.
  3. A state of apprehension and fear resulting from the anticipation of a threatening event or situation. &diamf3; In psychiatry, a patient has an anxiety disorder &diamf3; if normal psychological functioning is disrupted or if anxiety persists without an identifiable cause.
perplexity
Something that perplexes:
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  1. Something that perplexes:
  2. Something that is perplexed, or complicated
  3. The condition of being perplexed; bewilderment; confusion
misery
A condition of great wretchedness or suffering because of pain, sorrow, poverty, etc.; distress
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  1. A condition of great wretchedness or suffering because of pain, sorrow, poverty, etc.; distress
  2. The state of suffering and want as a result of physical circumstances or extreme poverty.
  3. A cause of such suffering; pain, sorrow, poverty, squalor, etc.
sorrow
Mental suffering caused by loss, disappointment, or misfortune, or an instance of this:
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  1. Mental suffering caused by loss, disappointment, or misfortune, or an instance of this:
  2. The outward expression of such suffering; mourning; lamentation
  3. A source or cause of sorrow; a misfortune:
pain
An unpleasant feeling occurring as a result of injury or disease, usually localized in some part of the body:
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  1. An unpleasant feeling occurring as a result of injury or disease, usually localized in some part of the body:
  2. (Informal) A source of annoyance; a nuisance:
  3. Bodily suffering characterized by such feelings:
suffering
An instance of pain or distress.
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  1. An instance of pain or distress.
  2. Something suffered; pain, distress, or injury
  3. The bearing or undergoing of pain, distress, or injury
agony
A sudden or intense emotion:
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  1. A sudden or intense emotion:
  2. A violent, intense struggle, especially the struggle that precedes death.
  3. The suffering of intense physical or mental pain:
anguish
Great suffering, as from worry, grief, or pain; agony
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  1. Great suffering, as from worry, grief, or pain; agony
  2. Agonizing physical or mental pain; torment.
dejection
Evacuation of the intestinal tract; defecation.
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  1. Evacuation of the intestinal tract; defecation.
  2. The state of being dejected; low spirits.
  3. Lowness of spirits; depression
irritation
The act of irritating:
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  1. The act of irritating:
  2. The fact or condition of being irritated
  3. The condition of being irritated; vexation:
vexation
The condition of being vexed; annoyance:
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  1. The condition of being vexed; annoyance:
  2. A source of irritation or annoyance:
  3. Something that vexes; cause of annoyance or distress
ache
A longing or desire.
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  1. A longing or desire.
  2. A painful sorrow.
  3. A dull, steady pain.
heartache
Sorrow or grief; mental anguish
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  1. Sorrow or grief; mental anguish
  2. Emotional anguish; sorrow.
  3. Very sincere and difficult emotional problems or stress
dolor
(R.C.Ch.) One of the seven traditional sorrows in the life of the Virgin Mary
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  1. (R.C.Ch.) One of the seven traditional sorrows in the life of the Virgin Mary
  2. Sorrow; grief.
ordeal
A difficult or painful experience, especially one that severely tests character or endurance.
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  1. A difficult or painful experience, especially one that severely tests character or endurance.
  2. Any difficult, painful, or trying experience; severe trial
  3. A method of trial in which the accused was subjected to pain or danger as a means of invoking God's intercession, with the outcome regarded as revealing a divine determination of guilt or innocence.
desolation
The state of being abandoned or forsaken; loneliness:
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  1. The state of being abandoned or forsaken; loneliness:
  2. A desolate condition
  3. Lonely grief; misery
mortification
Something causing shame, humiliation, etc.
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  1. Something causing shame, humiliation, etc.
  2. Discipline of the body and the appetites by self-denial or self-inflicted privation, especially when undertaken for religious reasons.
  3. A feeling of shame, humiliation, or wounded pride.
affliction
Anything causing pain or distress; calamity
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  1. Anything causing pain or distress; calamity
  2. An afflicted condition; pain; suffering
discomfort
Lack of comfort; uneasiness; inconvenience
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  1. Lack of comfort; uneasiness; inconvenience
  2. Something that disturbs one's comfort; an annoyance.
  3. Anything causing this
trouble
A person, circumstance, or event that causes annoyance, distress, difficulty, etc.
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  1. A person, circumstance, or event that causes annoyance, distress, difficulty, etc.
  2. A state of distress, affliction, difficulty, or need:
  3. A condition of pain, disease, or malfunction:
woe
A cause of sorrow or misery; a misfortune:
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  1. A cause of sorrow or misery; a misfortune:
  2. Sorrow or grief; misery.
  3. A cause of sorrow; affliction; trouble
torment
(Obs.) An instrument of torture or the torture inflicted
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  1. (Obs.) An instrument of torture or the torture inflicted
  2. Great pain or anguish, physical or mental; suffering; agony
  3. A source of pain, anxiety, or annoyance
torture
The inflicting of severe pain, often, specif., in order to obtain information or a confession, get revenge, etc.
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  1. The inflicting of severe pain, often, specif., in order to obtain information or a confession, get revenge, etc.
  2. Infliction of severe physical pain as a means of punishment or coercion.
  3. An experience or cause of severe pain or anguish:
shame
(--- Psychiatry) A pervasive, negative emotional state, usually originating in childhood, marked by chronic self-reproach and a sense of personal failure.
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  1. (--- Psychiatry) A pervasive, negative emotional state, usually originating in childhood, marked by chronic self-reproach and a sense of personal failure.
  2. A tendency to have feelings of this kind, or a capacity for such feeling
  3. A painful emotion caused by the awareness of having done something wrong or foolish:
embarrassment
The act or an instance of embarrassing:
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  1. The act or an instance of embarrassing:
  2. Financial difficulty:
  3. A source or cause of being embarrassed:
disappointment
(Uncountable) The emotion felt when a strongly held expectation is not met.
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  1. (Uncountable) The emotion felt when a strongly held expectation is not met.
  2. A disappointing or being disappointed
  3. The condition or feeling of being disappointed.
tribulation
Great affliction, trial, or distress; suffering:
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  1. Great affliction, trial, or distress; suffering:
  2. An experience that tests one's endurance, patience, or faith.
pang
A sudden, sharp, and brief pain, physical or emotional
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  1. A sudden, sharp, and brief pain, physical or emotional
  2. A sudden sharp feeling of emotional distress:
  3. A sudden sharp bodily pain:
agony
An instance of such suffering:
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  1. An instance of such suffering:
  2. A violent, intense struggle, especially the struggle that precedes death.
  3. The suffering of intense physical or mental pain:
anguish
Great suffering, as from worry, grief, or pain; agony
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  1. Great suffering, as from worry, grief, or pain; agony
  2. Agonizing physical or mental pain; torment.
suffering
The condition of someone who suffers; a state of pain or distress.
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  1. The condition of someone who suffers; a state of pain or distress.
  2. Something suffered; pain, distress, or injury
  3. The bearing or undergoing of pain, distress, or injury
ache
A longing or desire.
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  1. A longing or desire.
  2. A dull, steady pain.
  3. A painful sorrow.
straits
Plural form of strait
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  1. Plural form of strait
danger
A thing that may cause injury, pain, etc.
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  1. A thing that may cause injury, pain, etc.
  2. Liability to injury, damage, loss, or pain; peril
  3. (Obsolete) Power, especially power to harm.
trouble
A person, circumstance, or event that causes annoyance, distress, difficulty, etc.
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  1. A person, circumstance, or event that causes annoyance, distress, difficulty, etc.
  2. A condition of pain, disease, or malfunction:
  3. A state of distress, affliction, difficulty, or need:
adversity
An instance of misfortune; calamity
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  1. An instance of misfortune; calamity
  2. A calamitous event.
  3. A state of wretchedness or misfortune; poverty and trouble
trouble
To make an effort; take pains; bother
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  1. To make an effort; take pains; bother
  2. To cause pain or discomfort to; afflict
  3. To cause to have emotional or mental problems that interfere with social functioning:
disturb
To intrude on; inconvenience:
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  1. To intrude on; inconvenience:
  2. To break up the quiet or serenity of; agitate (what is quiet or still)
  3. To trouble emotionally or mentally; upset:
upset
To disturb the functioning, order, or course of:
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  1. To disturb the functioning, order, or course of:
  2. To cause to overturn; knock or tip over:
  3. To cause (the stomach) to feel ill.
grieve
(Archaic) To harm; injure
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  1. (Archaic) To harm; injure
  2. To cause to feel grief; afflict with deep, acute sorrow or distress
  3. (Archaic) To hurt or harm.
ail
(Intransitive) To be ill; to suffer; to be troubled.
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  1. (Intransitive) To be ill; to suffer; to be troubled.
  2. To cause to suffer; to trouble, afflict. (Now chiefly in interrogative or indefinite constructions.)
  3. To be the cause of pain or distress to; trouble
cark
Eye dialect spelling of caulk.
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  1. Eye dialect spelling of caulk.
  2. (Obsolete) To bring worry, vexation, or anxiety.
  3. To burden or be burdened with trouble; worry.
concern
To cause anxiety or uneasiness in:
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  1. To cause anxiety or uneasiness in:
  2. To be of interest or importance to:
  3. To cause to feel uneasy or anxious
trouble
To cause to have emotional or mental problems that interfere with social functioning:
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  1. To cause to have emotional or mental problems that interfere with social functioning:
  2. To pester, annoy, tease, bother, etc.
  3. To cause mental agitation to; worry; harass; perturb; vex
worry
To bother or annoy, as with petty complaints.
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  1. To bother or annoy, as with petty complaints.
  2. To annoy, bother, harass, vex, etc.
  3. To touch or handle something nervously or persistently:
aggrieve
To distress; afflict.
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  1. To distress; afflict.
  2. To inflict an injury or injuries on.
  3. To cause grief or injury to; offend
grieve
To cause to feel grief; afflict with deep, acute sorrow or distress
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  1. To cause to feel grief; afflict with deep, acute sorrow or distress
  2. To cause to be sorrowful; distress:
  3. (Archaic) To hurt or harm.
hurt
To give or have the sensation of pain; be sore
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  1. To give or have the sensation of pain; be sore
  2. To have or produce a feeling of physical pain or discomfort:
  3. To cause mental distress or pain to; wound the feelings of; offend
injure
To cause damage to; impair:
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  1. To cause damage to; impair:
  2. To offend (one's feelings, pride, etc.); wound
  3. To cause physical harm to; hurt:
pain
To cause physical pain to; hurt:
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  1. To cause physical pain to; hurt:
  2. To have or cause pain
wound
Simple past tense and past participle of wind.
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  1. Simple past tense and past participle of wind.
  2. To inflict a wound or wounds (on or upon); hurt; injure
  3. To inflict wounds or a wound on.
angst
A feeling of anxiety or apprehension.
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  1. A feeling of anxiety or apprehension.
  2. A gloomy, often neurotic feeling of generalized anxiety and depression
anxiety
A cause of anxiety:
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  1. A cause of anxiety:
  2. A state of apprehension and fear resulting from the anticipation of a threatening event or situation. &diamf3; In psychiatry, a patient has an anxiety disorder &diamf3; if normal psychological functioning is disrupted or if anxiety persists without an identifiable cause.
  3. A state of being uneasy, apprehensive, or worried about what may happen; concern about a possible future event
anxiousness
The state of being anxious.
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  1. The state of being anxious.
  2. A feeling of anxiety.
care
Watchful oversight; charge or supervision:
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  1. Watchful oversight; charge or supervision:
  2. Upkeep; maintenance:
  3. Attentive assistance or treatment to those in need:
concern
Interest in or regard for a person or thing
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  1. Interest in or regard for a person or thing
  2. Regard for or interest in someone or something:
  3. Worry; anxiety
disquiet
Absence of peace or rest; anxiety.
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  1. Absence of peace or rest; anxiety.
  2. A disturbed or uneasy feeling; anxiety; restlessness
disquietude
Worried unease; anxiety:
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  1. Worried unease; anxiety:
  2. A disturbed or uneasy condition; restlessness; anxiety
nervousness
The state or quality of being nervous.
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  1. The state or quality of being nervous.
solicitude
A cause of concern:
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  1. A cause of concern:
  2. The state of being solicitous; care or concern, as for the well-being of another.
  3. Causes of care or concern
unease
Distress or discomfort
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  1. Distress or discomfort
  2. A feeling of disquiet or concern.
uneasiness
The state of being uneasy, nervous or restless.
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  1. The state of being uneasy, nervous or restless.
  2. An anxious state of mind; anxiety.
worry
Something that causes anxiety
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  1. Something that causes anxiety
  2. The act of worrying or the condition of being worried; persistent mental uneasiness:
  3. A troubled state of mind; anxiety; distress; care; uneasiness
affliction
Anything causing pain or distress; calamity
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  1. Anything causing pain or distress; calamity
  2. An afflicted condition; pain; suffering
agony
A sudden, strong outburst (of emotion)
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  1. A sudden, strong outburst (of emotion)
  2. A sudden or intense emotion:
  3. The suffering of intense physical or mental pain:
anguish
Great suffering, as from worry, grief, or pain; agony
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  1. Great suffering, as from worry, grief, or pain; agony
  2. Agonizing physical or mental pain; torment.
hurt
Mental suffering; anguish:
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  1. Mental suffering; anguish:
  2. The act or an instance of hurting; pain, injury, or wound
  3. Something that hurts; a pain, injury, or wound.
misery
A condition of great wretchedness or suffering because of pain, sorrow, poverty, etc.; distress
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  1. A condition of great wretchedness or suffering because of pain, sorrow, poverty, etc.; distress
  2. The state of suffering and want as a result of physical circumstances or extreme poverty.
  3. A cause of such suffering; pain, sorrow, poverty, squalor, etc.
pain
An unpleasant feeling occurring as a result of injury or disease, usually localized in some part of the body:
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  1. An unpleasant feeling occurring as a result of injury or disease, usually localized in some part of the body:
  2. (Informal) A source of annoyance; a nuisance:
  3. Bodily suffering characterized by such feelings:
torment
(Obs.) An instrument of torture or the torture inflicted
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  1. (Obs.) An instrument of torture or the torture inflicted
  2. Great pain or anguish, physical or mental; suffering; agony
  3. A source of pain, anxiety, or annoyance
torture
Any method by which such pain is inflicted
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  1. Any method by which such pain is inflicted
  2. Infliction of severe physical pain as a means of punishment or coercion.
  3. A cause of such pain or agony
woe
A cause of sorrow or misery; a misfortune:
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  1. A cause of sorrow or misery; a misfortune:
  2. Sorrow or grief; misery.
  3. A cause of sorrow; affliction; trouble
wound
An injury to a plant caused by cutting, scraping, or other external force
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  1. An injury to a plant caused by cutting, scraping, or other external force
  2. An injury to the body in which the skin or other tissue is broken, cut, pierced, torn, etc.
  3. Any hurt or injury to the feelings, honor, etc.
exigency
A pressing or urgent situation:
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  1. A pressing or urgent situation:
  2. An urgent requirement; a pressing need:
  3. A situation calling for immediate action or attention
hot water
Trouble; difficulty:
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  1. Trouble; difficulty:
  2. Used other than as an idiom: see hot,‎ water.
  3. (Informal) Trouble; difficulty
trouble
Effort, especially when inconvenient or bothersome:
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  1. Effort, especially when inconvenient or bothersome:
  2. A condition of pain, disease, or malfunction:
  3. A state of distress, affliction, difficulty, or need:

Synonym Study

  • Anguish has equal force but is more often applied to acute mental suffering the anguish of despair
  • Agony suggests mental or physical torment so excruciating that the body or mind is convulsed with the force of it in mortal agony
  • Suffering emphasizes the actual enduring of pain, distress, or tribulation the suffering of the wounded
  • Distress implies mental or physical strain imposed by pain, trouble, worry, or the like and usually suggests a state or situation that can be relieved distress caused by famine
Find another word for distress. In this page you can discover 100 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for distress, like: worry, anxiety, perplexity, misery, sorrow, wretchedness, pain, suffering, agony, anguish and dejection.

Sentence Examples

  • Sensing similar distress in the man before her, she sat down.

  • Her distress was rising with their tension.

  • She'll be armed, and I'm leaving her a distress beacon.

  • Jackson could see her distress, so took the knife from her hand.

  • He was naturally compassionate towards objects in distress even to an effeminate measure; though God had made him a heart wherein was left little room for fear,.

More sentences →

Words that mention distress in the Dictionary

Words near distress in the Thesaurus