stress

stress — noun

1. A feeling of worry or mental tension that people get when they face difficult si

1.nounB1
Definition

A feeling of worry or mental tension that people get when they face difficult situations or have too many things to deal with.

Example

Jisoo felt a lot of stress before her final exam at university.

uncountable noun: 'a lot of stress'

Working long hours without a break can cause serious stress over time.

verb + 'stress': 'cause stress'

Common collocations
  • under stress
  • cause stress
  • reduce stress
  • manage stress
  • deal with stress
  • work-related stress
  • stress relief
  • stress management
Synonyms
  • pressure

    similar meaning but often suggests external demands rather than internal feeling

  • anxiety

    more about ongoing worry and fear; stronger emotional tone

  • tension

    implies a tight, strained feeling rather than general worry

  • strain

    suggests the effect of too much demand on someone's abilities

Antonyms
  • relaxation

    a state of being free from tension and worry

Grammar Patterns

stress + of + noun phrase

under + stress

cause + stress

Usage Note

Frequently used with 'under': 'under stress'. This is the most common sense of the word and often collocates with 'manage', 'reduce', 'cause', and 'deal with'.

Common Mistakes

I have a stress about my job.
I feel stress about my job.
'stress' is usually uncountable; don't use 'a stress' unless referring to a specific cause.

2. A difficult situation that happens when a system, organization, or resource is a

2.nounB2
Definition

A difficult situation that happens when a system, organization, or resource is asked to do more than it can handle.

Example

The city's water system is under stress from the growing population.

'under stress' for systems

Putting too much stress on the old bridge could make it unsafe for drivers.

'put stress on [object]'

Common collocations
  • under stress
  • put stress on
  • financial stress
  • water stress
  • great stress
  • severe stress
Synonyms
  • strain

    very close in meaning; often interchangeable in this sense

  • burden

    suggests something heavy that must be carried or dealt with

  • demand

    focuses on what is required rather than the pressure it creates

Grammar Patterns

under + stress

put + stress + on

face + stress

Usage Note

Typically describes pressure on infrastructure, budgets, organizations, or natural systems. Common with 'financial stress', 'water stress', 'environmental stress'.

Common Mistakes

The bridge is under a big stress.
The bridge is under great stress.
'stress' in this sense is usually uncountable; use adjectives like 'great', 'severe', 'enormous'.

3. The greater loudness or emphasis that a speaker gives to one syllable of a word

3.nounB1
Definition

The greater loudness or emphasis that a speaker gives to one syllable of a word or one word of a sentence, making it stand out from the others.

Example

Mizuki learned that when 'record' is a noun, the stress falls on the first syllable.

'stress falls on [syllable]'

Samir struggled with Spanish stress until his tutor showed him rules for endings like 'ción'.

Common collocations
  • stress falls on
  • put stress on
  • word stress
  • sentence stress
  • stress pattern
  • stress mark
Synonyms
  • emphasis

    broader term; can refer to stress in speech or special importance

  • accent

    often used interchangeably, but 'accent' can also mean a way of speaking from a region

Grammar Patterns

stress + falls on + syllable/word

stress + on + syllable/word

word + stress

Common Mistakes

The stress of the word is in the first syllable.
The stress is on the first syllable.
use 'on', not 'in' or 'at', when talking about which syllable carries the stress.

4. A force that presses, pulls, or twists on an object, often changing its shape or

4.nounB2
Definition

A force that presses, pulls, or twists on an object, often changing its shape or causing damage over time.

Example

Engineers like Mateo design steel beams to handle stress without breaking under heavy loads.

Engineers must calculate the stress on every part of the bridge during a storm.

'calculate the stress on [object]'

Common collocations
  • stress on
  • under stress
  • tensile stress
  • compressive stress
  • stress test
  • stress fracture
  • stress analysis
Synonyms
  • pressure

    often used for force spread over an area; 'stress' is more about the internal resistance

  • strain

    technically the deformation caused by stress, but sometimes used interchangeably in everyday speech

  • tension

    specifically a pulling or stretching force

Grammar Patterns

under + stress

stress + on + object

cause + stress

Usage Note

Common in engineering and physics contexts. Different types include 'tensile stress' (pulling apart), 'compressive stress' (pushing together), and 'shear stress' (sliding).

5. Special importance or attention given to something seen as crucial — for example

5.nounB2
Definition

Special importance or attention given to something seen as crucial — for example, when a company puts stress on customer feedback or a teacher stresses the value of daily reading.

Example

The manager placed great stress on teamwork during the staff meeting.

'placed great stress on [noun]'

In this school, teachers put stress on learning through hands-on activities.

Common collocations
  • place stress on
  • lay stress on
  • put stress on
  • great stress
Synonyms
  • emphasis

    very close in meaning; 'emphasis' is more common in everyday speech

  • importance

    broader term; 'stress' implies actively drawing attention to something

  • prominence

    suggests visibility rather than deliberate focus

Grammar Patterns

put + stress + on + noun

lay + stress + on + noun

place + stress + on + noun

Usage Note

Typically occurs in fixed verb phrases: 'place stress on', 'lay stress on', 'put stress on'. More formal than 'emphasize' or 'highlight'.

Common Mistakes

The teacher stressed on the importance of reading.' (when meaning noun sense)
The teacher placed stress on the importance of reading.
As a noun, use 'place/put/lay stress on' rather than verb forms.

stress — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These four words all relate to difficulty or unease, but they differ in focus and intensity. 'Pressure' is the closest to 'stress' and usually refers to external demands forcing you to perform (e.g., 'the pressure of meeting sales targets'). 'Anxiety' is more internal and emotional — a lasting feeling of worry or fear that can exist even without a clear cause (e.g., 'she felt anxiety before every flight'). 'Tension' suggests a tight, strained feeling often linked to relationships or waiting for something uncertain (e.g., 'there was tension in the room during the negotiation'). 'Strain' emphasizes the effect of overwork or excessive demand on someone's abilities or health (e.g., 'the strain of caring for a sick relative wore him out'). Use 'stress' when the cause is clear and tied to life demands (work, school, finances). Use 'anxiety' when the feeling is more persistent and less tied to specific triggers. Use 'tension' for interpersonal or situational unease. Use 'strain' when the focus is on the harmful effect of too much demand.

pressure ↗anxiety ↗tension ↗strain ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • stress level
  • stress factor
  • stress response
  • stress test
  • stress management
  • stress reduction

Adverbs

  • greatly stressed
  • constantly stressed
  • heavily stressed
  • emotionally stressed

Phrases

  • under stress
  • under a lot of stress
  • a source of stress
  • a sign of stress
  • cope with stress

Prepositions

  • stress on
  • stress about
  • stress over
  • stress from
  • stress under

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'stress' comes from Latin 'strictus', meaning 'tight' or 'drawn together'. It passed into Old French as 'estresse' (narrowness, oppression), and then into Middle English as 'stresse' (hardship, affliction). For centuries it was used mainly for physical pressure or difficulty. In the early 20th century, scientists (especially the endocrinologist Hans Selye) began using 'stress' to describe the body's response to demanding situations, giving rise to the modern psychological meaning that is now the most common use of the word.