What is another word for distress?

Need synonyms for distress? Here's a list of similar words from our thesaurus that you can use instead.

Contexts ▼

Noun

Extreme anxiety, sorrow, or pain

Difficulty, especially when caused by lack of money

The state of a ship or aircraft when in danger or difficulty and needing help

A state of disapproval or feeling of unfulfillment

An unpleasant emotion caused by the perception of danger, pain, or harm

The characteristic of being needy

A person or thing that causes annoyance or difficulty

A serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action

Anger aroused by something perceived as an indignity, notably an offense or injustice

Behavior exhibiting excessive or uncontrollable emotion, such as fear or panic

A sudden upsetting or surprising event or experience

The quality of being remorseful

Anxiety caused by living in isolation or indoors for a long period of time

A state of great disturbance, confusion, or uncertainty

To cause significant upset to (someone)

To give an appearance of age to, especially a new object

To diminish the confidence or courage of

To influence, usually emotionally

To wear away or cause damage through applied friction

Distrain

To wear away or destroy gradually

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Noun

▲

Extreme anxiety, sorrow, or pain

labour^UK

labor^US

butterflies in the stomach

dark night of the soul

vapours^UK

vapors^US

endogenous depression

unpleasant experience

endeavor^US

endeavour^UK

trials and tribulations

more ❯

“Staff expressed intense feelings of distress in having to restrain patients.”

Noun

▲

Difficulty, especially when caused by lack of money

rigour^UK

rigor^US

trials and tribulations

labor^US

labour^UK

more ❯

“These policies are causing distress to average, hard-working citizens.”

Noun

▲

The state of a ship or aircraft when in danger or difficulty and needing help

source of apprehension

being on the precipice

accident waiting to happen

more ❯

“The coastguard reported a number of false alarms when ships mistook fireworks for distress flares.”

Noun

▲

A state of disapproval or feeling of unfulfillment

disfavour^UK

disfavor^US

rancour^UK

offence^UK

rancor^US

offense^US

furor^US

furore^UK

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Noun

▲

An unpleasant emotion caused by the perception of danger, pain, or harm

butterflies in the stomach

more ❯

Noun

▲

The characteristic of being needy

straitened circumstances

ruin

disadvantage

reduced circumstances

hand-to-mouth existence

life on the breadline

abridgment^US

abridgement^UK

being able to do with

being short of

being without

being deficient in

more ❯

Noun

▲

A person or thing that causes annoyance or difficulty

chip on your shoulder

source of aggravation

burr under someone's saddle

offense^US

offence^UK

burr in someone's saddle

a thorn in someone's side

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Noun

▲

A serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action

unforeseen circumstances

unfortunate situation

sorry condition

no-win situation

train wreck

problematic situation

rigor^US

rigour^UK

pretty kettle of fish

a difficult situation

labor^US

labour^UK

worst that could happen

worst outcome

worst case

worst possible outcome

when push comes to shove

more ❯

Noun

▲

Anger aroused by something perceived as an indignity, notably an offense or injustice

furore^UK

furor^US

offense^US

offence^UK

baulk^UK

balk^US

rancour^UK

rancor^US

chip on your shoulder

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Noun

▲

Behavior exhibiting excessive or uncontrollable emotion, such as fear or panic

furore^UK

furor^US

outburst of agitation

fervour^UK

fervor^US

alarums and excursions

running a temperature

clamour^UK

clamor^US

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Noun

▲

A sudden upsetting or surprising event or experience

state of perturbation

source of amazement

source of consternation

a bolt out of the blue

turn up for the books

life-changing experience

turn-up for the books

more ❯

Noun

▲

The quality of being remorseful

prickings of conscience

dishonor^US

dishonour^UK

twinges of conscience

Noun

Anxiety caused by living in isolation or indoors for a long period of time

seasonal affective disorder

temporary insanity

winter blues

Noun

▲

A state of great disturbance, confusion, or uncertainty

furor^US

furore^UK

alarums and excursions

Sturm und Drang

racket

clamour^UK

clamor^US

all hell broken loose

clangour^UK

clangor^US

draft^US

draught^UK

all hell breaking loose

much ado about nothing

absence of government

fervour^UK

fervor^US

troublesome situation

running a temperature

difference of opinion

more ❯

Verb

▲

To cause significant upset to (someone)

agonise^UK

agonize^US

tantalise^UK

tantalize^US

traumatize^US

demoralize^US

traumatise^UK

demoralise^UK

appall^US

appal^UK

hurt somebody's feelings

terrorize^US

terrorise^UK

knock the stuffing out of

make sad

get down

harm

put someone off their stroke

tyrannize^US

antagonize^US

antagonise^UK

victimize^US

hector

pierce

make one's heart bleed

tyrannise^UK

victimise^UK

breathe down someone's neck

give someone the hump

cause someone to lose their composure

put someone's nose out of joint

bring tears to your eyes

drive round the twist

break someone's heart

face

give someone the blues

make somebody's hackles rise

ruffle one's feathers

set someone back on their heels

get up someone's nose

paralyse^UK

scandalize^US

paralyze^US

pressurize^US

pressurise^UK

scandalise^UK

criticize^US

be a pain in the neck

take control of

be a thorn in someone's side

heavy

mess with someone's head

criticise^UK

take the wind out of your sails

push about

trample on

ride roughshod over

weigh heavily on someone's mind

ill-use

dash hopes

be on the back of

break someone's spirit

labour^UK

labor^US

knock the wind out of

weigh heavily on one's mind

make someone scratch their head

disenchant

dampen someone's spirit

press down on

harsh one's mellow

cause pain

cause someone distress

push someon's buttons

lie heavy on someone's mind

weigh heavy on someone's mind

pull the rug from under

pull the rug out from under

put someone off their stride

make someone laugh on the other side of their face

make someone laugh out of the other side of their mouth

be a thorn in someone's flesh

fill with consternation

tread on someone's toes

make things hot for someone

make it hot for someone

be a weight on someone's mind

make severe demands on

exhaust someone's patience

give the cold shoulder

cast a pall over

catch one short

rattle someone's cage

put out of countenance

be agitated

scare the bejesus out of

raise someone's eyebrows

shake out of your complacency

hit like ton of bricks

completely surprise

make someone's blood run cold

labour over

be in a flap

scare the living daylights out of

make someone's hair stand on end

be in a stew

get worked up

get in a stew

make a big thing out of

make a mountain out of a molehill

bring pressure to bear on

harsh someone's mellow

keep down

bear down

make someone's heart bleed

rule with an iron hand

rule with a rod of iron

bring someone to their knees

cause to feel emotional strain

overdo

cause to feel mental strain

brutalize^US

brutalise^UK

have an adverse effect on

get on someone's back

cause to be at a stand

galvanize^US

stop someone in their tracks

galvanise^UK

rub you up the wrong way

scare someone out of their wits

set one's teeth on edge

put the fear of God into

fog

fill with loathing

throw into a blue funk

make one's hair stand on end

make one's flesh creep

get a rise out of

deflate

strike dumb

drive you up the wall

get on the wrong side of

make an enemy of somebody

drive you to distraction

make livid

stroke someone's hair the wrong way

resent

set someone's teeth on edge

underwhelm

make someone's stomach rise

interfere

meddle

drive you round the twist

drive you round the bend

catch unawares

balk^US

drive you off your head

make you see red

baulk^UK

throw into a panic

send chills down the spine of

frighten to death

frighten the living daylights out of

cause to lose your bearings

drive you out of your mind

make somebody's blood boil

frighten out of your wits

shatter the illusions of

burst bubble

dampen the spirits of

blow away

put out of action

hit like a ton of bricks

hit

take your breath away

bring around

get on someone's case

make someone feel sick

invigorate^US

make someone want to throw up

make someone feel nauseous

energize^US

be on pins and needles

have ants in one's pants

be like a cat on hot bricks

energise^UK

envigorate^UK

give someone goose pimples

chill to the bone

scare away

dishonor^US

dishonour^UK

cheapen

discredit

chill to the marrow

give someone the heebie-jeebies

make someone eat humble pie

pull down

make someone eat crow

settle someone's hash

tear down

make one feel small

put one away

put someone in their place

fix someone's wagon

put away

smirch

take down a peg or two

shoot down

squelch

make eat dirt

force to eat humble pie

make one's blood run cold

make someone jump out of their skin

scare someone half to death

more ❯

“He had done everything possible to distress her, including his confession of love for her.”

Verb

▲

To give an appearance of age to, especially a new object

“I hereby grant you permission to distress that table, to paint it pink and stencil flowers around the edge if that pleases you.”

Verb

▲

To diminish the confidence or courage of

demoralise^UK

demoralize^US

appal^UK

appall^US

dampen the spirits of

break one's heart

put a damper on

cause to lose heart

dampen someone's hopes

take the wind out of your sails

knock the stuffing out of

give someone the blues

bring tears to your eyes

sour

dash hopes

dampen spirits

make one's heart bleed

break someone's spirit

break someone's heart

dampen someone's spirit

take the heart out of

put someone off their stroke

agonize^US

agonise^UK

harsh someone's mellow

cause someone to lose their composure

make someone's heart bleed

antagonize^US

shatter the illusions of

burst bubble

knock the wind out of

give someone the hump

harsh one's mellow

knock down

let wind out of sails

puncture balloon

kick in the teeth

take down a peg or two

antagonise^UK

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Verb

▲

To influence, usually emotionally

make an impression on

tug at your heartstrings

mould^UK

mold^US

colour^UK

color^US

stick in someone's mind

flavour^UK

flavor^US

leave an impression on

categorise^UK

traumatize^US

come into one's consciousness

maneuver^US

manoeuvre^UK

machinate

finesse

use

categorize^US

traumatise^UK

disadvantage

make someone suffer

exert an influence on

twist round one's little finger

turn to one's advantage

more ❯

Verb

▲

To wear away or cause damage through applied friction

come to the end of its life

pulverize^US

pulverise^UK

more ❯

Verb

▲

Distrain

distrain

Verb

▲

To wear away or destroy gradually

oxidize^US

oxidise^UK

more ❯

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Related Words and Phrases

What is another word for distress?

Need synonyms for distress? Here's a list of similar words from our thesaurus that you can use instead.

Related Words and Phrases

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