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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

A state of depression or despondency

The state of being mentally anxious or perturbed

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

A psychological condition causing distress when separated from familiar people or places

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

To wear away or destroy gradually

To confiscate property, such as for unpaid debts or liabilities

… more ▼

Noun

▲

Extreme anxiety, sorrow, or pain

dark night of the soul

labour^UK

labor^US

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

chip on your shoulder

being rubbed up the wrong way

more ❯

Noun

▲

A state of depression or despondency

vapors^US

vapours^UK

endogenous depression

more ❯

Noun

▲

The state of being mentally anxious or perturbed

butterflies in the stomach

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Noun

▲

The characteristic of being needy

straitened circumstances

ruin

disadvantage

reduced circumstances

hand-to-mouth existence

life on the breadline

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

inopportuneness

dislike

trials and tribulations

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

up poop creak without a paddle

complicated situation

troublesome situation

unpredictable situation

complex problem

Pandora's box

hornet's nest

unforeseen circumstance

when push comes to shove

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

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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

unforeseen circumstance

turn up for the books

life-changing experience

turn-up for the books

more ❯

Noun

▲

The quality of being remorseful

Noun

▲

A psychological condition causing distress when separated from familiar people or places

separation anxiety

separation anxiety disorder

adult separation anxiety disorder

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

hurt somebody's feelings

appal^UK

put someone off their stroke

tyrannize^US

antagonize^US

antagonise^UK

make one's heart bleed

give a bad time

tyrannise^UK

knock the stuffing out of

terrorize^US

terrorise^UK

give someone the hump

cause anxiety

throw into a tizz

make someone see red

set someone back on their heels

drive round the bend

cause someone to lose their composure

get under your skin

drive round the twist

eat away at

bring tears to your eyes

get your back up

put someone's nose out of joint

break someone's heart

take the wind out of your sails

throw cold water on

face

give someone the blues

make somebody's hackles rise

ruffle one's feathers

paralyse^UK

paralyze^US

scandalize^US

pressurize^US

victimize^US

pressurise^UK

victimise^UK

scandalise^UK

breathe down someone's neck

be a burden on

be offensive

drive bananas

be a pain in the neck

hang up

be a thorn in someone's side

grind down

mess with someone's head

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

pull the rug out from under

get on one's nerves

ferment

heavy

weigh heavily on one's mind

make someone scratch their head

lie heavy on someone's mind

weigh heavy on someone's mind

push someon's buttons

cause someone distress

make things hot for someone

single out

make it hot for someone

tread on someone's toes

kick up a fuss

kick up a stink

take pains

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

put out of countenance

bring pressure to bear on

have had enough

become bored

make discontented

exhaust someone's patience

give the cold shoulder

cast a pall over

swamp

rattle someone's cage

harsh someone's mellow

fester

bear down

make someone's heart bleed

dampen someone's spirit

raise someone's eyebrows

shake out of your complacency

hit like ton of bricks

completely surprise

make someone's blood run cold

mishandle

brutalize^US

brutalise^UK

make downhearted

cast a gloom on

dampen the spirits of

be a weight on someone's mind

cause to lose heart

wrench

dampen someone's hopes

fill with consternation

cause to feel emotional strain

overdo

cause to feel mental strain

have an adverse effect on

rule with an iron hand

trample underfoot

weigh heavy upon

hold down

rule with a rod of iron

cause to be at a stand

make bitter

make resentful

scare to death

scare the bejesus out of

galvanize^US

stop someone in their tracks

galvanise^UK

rub you up the wrong way

scare someone out of their wits

scare the living daylights out of

set one's teeth on edge

put the fear of God into

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

stroke someone's hair the wrong way

set someone's teeth on edge

make someone's stomach rise

send chills down the spine of

frighten to death

frighten the living daylights out of

frighten out of your wits

fill with terror

cause to lose your bearings

get on someone's case

shatter the illusions of

drive you out of your mind

drive you to distraction

make somebody's blood boil

drive you round the twist

make you see red

make livid

drive you round the bend

drive you crazy

bring low

make someone's skin crawl

make someone feel sick

invigorate^US

make someone want to throw up

make someone feel nauseous

be nervous

be spooked

give someone goose pimples

chill to the bone

scare away

chill to the marrow

give someone the heebie-jeebies

energize^US

be on pins and needles

have ants in one's pants

be like a cat on hot bricks

make one's blood run cold

make someone jump out of their skin

scare someone half to death

energise^UK

envigorate^UK

take your breath away

hit like a ton of bricks

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

traumatize^US

flavour^UK

flavor^US

categorise^UK

traumatise^UK

maneuver^US

manoeuvre^UK

come into one's consciousness

go through one's head

categorize^US

exert an influence on

stick in someone's mind

make a splash

make your mark

send a message

make your presence felt

get noticed

attract attention

cause others to take notice

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

▲

To wear away or destroy gradually

oxidize^US

oxidise^UK

vaporise^UK

vaporize^US

more ❯

Verb

▲

To confiscate property, such as for unpaid debts or liabilities

annex^US

annexe^UK

moonlight requisition

more ❯

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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.

Related Words and Phrases

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