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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

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

To cause significant upset to (someone)

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

To influence, usually emotionally

To wear away or cause damage through applied friction

Distress

To wear away or destroy gradually

… more ▼

Noun

▲

Extreme anxiety, sorrow, or pain

butterflies in the stomach

dark night of the soul

labour^UK

labor^US

vapours^UK

vapors^US

endogenous depression

unpleasant experience

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

furor^US

offense^US

offence^UK

furore^UK

rancour^UK

rancor^US

more ❯

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

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

burr in someone's saddle

a thorn in someone's side

mischief-maker

terror

offense^US

offence^UK

more ❯

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

complicated situation

troublesome situation

unpredictable situation

more ❯

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

clamour^UK

clamor^US

more ❯

Noun

▲

A sudden upsetting or surprising event or experience

state of perturbation

source of amazement

source of consternation

a bolt out of the blue

skepticism^US

scepticism^UK

turn up for the books

life-changing experience

turn-up for the books

more ❯

Noun

▲

The quality of being remorseful

Noun

▲

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

seasonal affective disorder

temporary insanity

winter blues

Verb

▲

To cause significant upset to (someone)

agonise^UK

agonize^US

tantalise^UK

tantalize^US

demoralize^US

traumatize^US

demoralise^UK

traumatise^UK

appall^US

appal^UK

hurt somebody's feelings

put someone off their stroke

chill

rub up the wrong way

knock the stuffing out of

terrorize^US

tyrannize^US

antagonize^US

terrorise^UK

antagonise^UK

make one's heart bleed

tyrannise^UK

victimize^US

give someone the hump

cause anxiety

throw into a tizz

make someone see red

set someone back on their heels

cause someone to lose their composure

victimise^UK

put someone's nose out of joint

be a burden to

do someone's head in

drive round the bend

take the wind out of your sails

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

paralyse^UK

paralyze^US

scandalize^US

pressurize^US

pressurise^UK

scandalise^UK

be a pain in the neck

be a thorn in someone's side

mess with someone's head

breathe down someone's neck

weigh heavily on someone's mind

ill-use

dash hopes

be on the back of

break someone's spirit

mess over

get up someone's nose

labour^UK

labor^US

knock the wind out of

pull the rug from under

cause someone distress

thumb nose at

exhaust

pull the rug out from under

get on one's nerves

weigh heavily on one's mind

make someone scratch their head

dampen someone's spirit

ferment

lie heavy on someone's mind

weigh heavy on someone's mind

push someon's buttons

tread on someone's toes

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

dispraise

criticize^US

criticise^UK

be a thorn in someone's flesh

make severe demands on

make things hot for someone

make discontented

stick the knife into

exhaust someone's patience

make it hot for someone

give the cold shoulder

cast a pall over

catch one short

rattle someone's cage

put out of countenance

raise someone's eyebrows

shake out of your complacency

hit like ton of bricks

completely surprise

make someone's blood run cold

dampen the spirits of

lean on

put pressure on

be in someone's hair

bring pressure to bear on

dampen someone's hopes

gnaw away at

gnaw away

be a weight on someone's mind

harsh someone's mellow

bear down

make someone's heart bleed

rule with an iron hand

rule with a rod of iron

bring someone to their knees

fill with consternation

cause to feel emotional strain

overdo

cause to feel mental strain

brutalize^US

brutalise^UK

have an adverse effect on

cause to be at a stand

scare to death

send into a rage

scare the bejesus out of

galvanize^US

stop someone in their tracks

galvanise^UK

rub you up the wrong way

knock over

cause offence to

stick in one's craw

scare someone out of their wits

scare the living daylights out of

set one's teeth on edge

put the fear of God into

fog

fill with loathing

get a rise out of

throw into a blue funk

make one's hair stand on end

make one's flesh creep

drive you up the wall

balk^US

baulk^UK

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

arouse hostility in

make someone's stomach rise

interfere

meddle

drive you round the twist

drive you round the bend

drive you off your head

make you see red

throw into a panic

send chills down the spine of

frighten to death

frighten the living daylights out of

spring on

throw a curveball

cause to lose your bearings

drive you out of your mind

make somebody's blood boil

frighten out of your wits

get on someone's case

shatter the illusions of

hit like a ton of bricks

hit

take your breath away

make someone feel sick

invigorate^US

make someone want to throw up

make someone feel nauseous

scare witless

be nervous

be spooked

give someone goose pimples

give someone the heebie-jeebies

spur

energize^US

pump up

be on pins and needles

have ants in one's pants

be like a cat on hot bricks

make one's blood run cold

energise^UK

envigorate^UK

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 influence, usually emotionally

make an impression on

tug at your heartstrings

mould^UK

mold^US

colour^UK

color^US

leave an impression on

stick in someone's mind

make you of a mind to

flavour^UK

flavor^US

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

play upon

map out

lay out

more ❯

Verb

▲

To wear away or cause damage through applied friction

come to the end of its life

pulverize^US

pulverise^UK

more ❯

Verb

▲

Distress

distrain

Verb

▲

To wear away or destroy gradually

oxidize^US

oxidise^UK

vaporise^UK

vaporize^US

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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