adjective B2 Upper-Intermediate Uncommon

distressing

dih-STREH-sihng

Distressing (adjective) means causing worry, sadness, or pain. Example: “It was distressing to watch the animals suffer in the heat.”

adjective

Causing worry, sadness, or pain.

"It was distressing to watch the animals suffer in the heat."

How to use distressing

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishUpsetting enough to cause real emotional pain.

Common pairings

deeply distressing distressing news find something distressing

more distressing comparative, most distressing superlative

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Can you complete this real example?

It was _____ to watch the animals suffer in the heat.

Messing Lessing blessing dressing pressing guessing assessing caressing processing expressing addressing depressing

What does “distressing” mean?

The word “distressing” means causing worry, sadness, or pain. In plain terms, upsetting enough to cause real emotional pain.

How do you pronounce “distressing”?

“Distressing” is pronounced dih-STREH-sihng (/dɪˈstɹɛsɪŋ/ in IPA).

How do you use “distressing” in a sentence?

Here is “distressing” used in a sentence: “It was distressing to watch the animals suffer in the heat.”

What part of speech is “distressing”?

“Distressing” is an adjective.

Is “distressing” a common word?

“Distressing” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.