distressing Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb bring into difficulties or distress, especially financial hardship
    straiten; distress.
  2. verb cause mental pain to
    distress.
    • The news of her child's illness distressed the mother
  3. adjective satellite causing distress or worry or anxiety
    distressful; perturbing; troubling; disturbing; worrying; worrisome.
    • distressing (or disturbing) news
    • lived in heroic if something distressful isolation
    • a disturbing amount of crime
    • a revelation that was most perturbing
    • a new and troubling thought
    • in a particularly worrisome predicament
    • a worrying situation
    • a worrying time
  4. adjective satellite bad; unfortunate
    sad; pitiful; lamentable; deplorable; sorry.
    • my finances were in a deplorable state
    • a lamentable decision
    • her clothes were in sad shape
    • a sorry state of affairs

WordNet


Dis*tress"ing adjective
Definitions
  1. Causing distress; painful; unpleasant.
Dis*tress"ing adverb
Definitions
  1. In a distressing manner.

Webster 1913