distress

distress — noun

1. A state of deep emotional pain or mental suffering that a person goes through wh

1.nounB2
Definition

A state of deep emotional pain or mental suffering that a person goes through when something very bad or painful happens, such as losing a loved one or facing a serious problem.

Example

Zuri felt deep distress after learning that her grandmother had been hospitalised.

collocation: deep distress / feel distress

The family's distress grew as the search for the missing child continued into the night.

Common collocations
  • emotional distress
  • mental distress
  • cause distress
  • in distress
  • feel distress
  • signs of distress
  • deep distress
Synonyms
  • anguish

    More intense, often suggests prolonged physical or mental suffering.

  • agony

    Extreme pain that can be physical or mental; stronger than distress.

  • sorrow

    Deep sadness, usually related to loss; less intense than distress.

  • grief

    Specifically tied to loss or death; more focused than general distress.

Antonyms
  • comfort

    A state of ease and freedom from pain or worry.

  • relief

    The removal or lessening of distress.

Grammar Patterns

uncountable

Usage Note

Often describes emotional pain triggered by a specific event or situation. Frequently paired with prepositions like over, about, or at.

Common Mistakes

I felt distress for my exam.
I felt distress about my exam results.
use 'about' or 'over' to specify the cause of distress.
The news caused me a distress.
The news caused me distress.
'distress' in this sense is uncountable; do not use 'a'.

2. A state of urgent need caused by serious difficulty or danger — for example, whe

2.nounB2
Definition

A state of urgent need caused by serious difficulty or danger — for example, when a person has no food, a ship is damaged at sea, or a community is hit by a natural disaster.

Example

The fishing boat sent out a distress signal when its engine failed far from shore.

collocation: distress signal

Hugo's family fell into financial distress after his father lost his job at the factory.

collocation: financial distress

Common collocations
  • in distress
  • financial distress
  • distress signal
  • distress call
  • economic distress
  • send a distress signal
Synonyms
  • danger

    Broader term for exposure to harm; does not imply urgency of help.

  • hardship

    Focuses on difficulty and suffering, especially financial, rather than immediate danger.

  • emergency

    A sudden situation requiring immediate action; more general than distress in this sense.

Antonyms
  • safety

    Freedom from danger or risk.

  • security

    A state of being protected from harm or difficulty.

Grammar Patterns

uncountable

Usage Note

Common in maritime and aviation contexts (distress signal, distress call). Also used for financial hardship (financial distress, economic distress). Unlike sense 1, this sense focuses on external circumstances rather than internal emotional pain.

Common Mistakes

He was in a distress situation.
He was in a situation of distress.' or 'He was in distress.
'in distress' is the fixed phrase.
The ship is making a distress.
The ship is sending a distress signal.
'distress' alone is not used; use the full compound noun.
Idioms

a damsel in distress

idiom

A humorous or old-fashioned expression for a young woman who needs to be rescued from a difficult or dangerous situation.

In the old film, the knight saves a damsel in distress from a tall tower.

Defne laughed at herself for playing the role of a damsel in distress when she could not open the jar.

distress — verb

distress — adjective

Word family

  • distressed
    adjectiveB2
  • distressing
    adjectiveB2
  • distressingly
    adverbC1
  • distressful
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

While all four words describe forms of suffering, they differ in intensity and context. Distress (B2) is the broadest term — it covers emotional pain, worry, and mental strain triggered by life events such as bad news or personal problems. Anguish (C1) suggests a more intense, almost unbearable mental or physical pain, often tied to regret or loss. Agony (C1) is the strongest of the group, describing extreme suffering that can be either physical or emotional, and often implies a duration of intense pain. Sorrow (B2) is a gentler term focused on deep sadness, especially related to loss or disappointment — it lacks the urgent, agitated quality of distress. Grief (B2) is specific to loss through death or separation and comes with predictable stages (shock, denial, acceptance). For everyday use, distress is the most versatile: one can feel distress over a failed exam, a health scare, or a relationship problem. Use anguish for deeper, more agonising pain; sorrow for quiet, reflective sadness; grief only for bereavement or equivalent loss.

anguishagonysorrow ↗grief ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • in distress
  • a state of distress
  • signs of distress
  • cause distress

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'distress' entered English in the 1200s from Old French 'destresse', which came from Latin 'districtus', meaning 'drawn apart' or 'hindered'. The original idea was of being pulled in opposite directions — stretched too thin. Over time, the meaning shifted from physical constraint to the emotional pain and worry that such a state produces. By the 1500s, it was also being used for dangerous situations (like a ship in distress) and, by the 1900s, for financial hardship (distress sale) and goods sold under pressure.