medium
The child looked distressed when he could not find his backpack.
What does Distressed mean?
Distressed means very upset, worried, or troubled.
Dictionary definition
Very upset, worried, or troubled.
Example sentences
Distressed in a sentence
Writing practice
Ready to write your own? Study the examples, then practice distressed in a sentence with Sentence Builder checklist feedback.
Quick practice
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Practice the meaning of Distressed
Answer three quick questions about its meaning and related words.
Question 1 of 3
Practice 1
What does distressed mean?
Distressed means very upset, worried, or troubled.
Practice 2
Which sentence uses distressed correctly?
The correct sentence shows the meaning of distressed through context clues.
Practice 3
Which word is closest in meaning to distressed?
Upset is closest in meaning to distressed in this entry.
Practice complete
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Distressed
Voice settings
Sounds like
dih · strest · strongest beat: strest
Tap each sound part, then blend the whole word together.
Learn
WordDistressed.
Partadjective.
MeaningDistressed means very upset, worried, or troubled.
ExampleExample: The child looked distressed when he could not find his backpack.
Word breakdown
2 syllables. Say each part, then blend the word.
- Syllables
- dih · strest
- Strongest beat
- strest
- Ending
- strest
- Tip
- Put a little extra energy on strest.
Your turn
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Synonyms
Words like Distressed
upsetUse when someone feels troubled or unhappy.
Antonyms
Opposite words
relievedUse when worry or trouble has passed.
Synonym practice
Want to practice distressed synonyms in context? Try a Synonym Search question like "The lost puppy looked distressed near the gate," then compare close word choices. Practice distressed synonyms.
Word family
Distressed word family
Base word
distress
adjective
distressing
Causing worry or upset.
Related words
Explore related words
Student support
Understand Distressed
Hint for students
Look for clues that show worry, trouble, or strong upset.
Common mix-up
Distressed is stronger than bothered; it usually means real worry or upset.
Try it in class or at home
Read the model sentence and underline the clue words that show the feeling or trait. Then write a new sentence that shows distressed without using the word distressed.
Teacher prompt
Ask students to explain this model sentence: "The child looked distressed when he could not find his backpack." What clues show what distressed means?
Word category
Explore more feelings words
This word is part of WordHive's feelings words collection. Browse more emotion words, compare close meanings, and practice using them in sentences.
Learning activities
Practice Distressed and explore more word games
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Sentence Builder
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Context Clue Challenge
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Synonym Search
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