distress
dih-STRESS
/dɪˈstrɛs/
Extreme anxiety, sorrow, pain, or danger requiring immediate assistance.
In public safety context, distress specifically denotes acute, life-threatening or emergency danger.
The story behind the word. From Old French destresse, rooted in Vulgar Latin districtia, from Latin distringere (to stretch apart or compress tightly). The image is being pulled tightly in opposite directions under severe physical or emotional pressure.
Word relationships
- peril: Peril refers to the dangerous situation itself; distress refers to the state of suffering or crisis resulting from it.
- anguish: Anguish focuses primarily on emotional or mental pain.
- comfort: A state of ease and physical or mental freedom from distress.
- safety: Freedom from danger or emergency risk.
Commonly confused with
- stress: Stress is general tension or pressure; distress implies negative, harmful suffering or life safety risk.
Word family
- distressed (adjective): Suffering acute anxiety, trouble, or physical pain.
- distressing (adjective): Causing anxiety or acute suffering.
Collocations
- distress call
- distress signal
- in acute distress
- flag of distress
Idioms & expressions
- damsel in distress
Example sentences
- "The vessel transmitted a distress signal after engine failure in heavy seas." Maritime emergency call
- "He was in acute distress, unable to catch his breath or utter a single clear word." Literature citation (The Citadel by A.J. Cronin)
Memory hook
DI-STRESS: Double stress pulling you apart until you need help. Stretched to the breaking point.
When not to use
Do not use for minor inconveniences or light annoyance.
Fun facts
- The universal distress signal MAYDAY comes from the French phrase 'm'aider' (short for venez m'aider, meaning 'come help me').
Related words
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.