- present participle of distress.
distressing
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Yes, it’s weird and distressing, watching billionaires play catch with our ballclubs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
Those of us who regard the court as an essential institution find it particularly distressing how personal it often gets.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
Muir said it was a "complex and distressing case" for his staff and condemned threats and online abuse that had subsequently been made against Daera staff.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
The circumstances leading to Hilton’s distressing livestream and Pearl’s filmed execution are entirely dissimilar.
From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026
The watch went into the maw of the vacuum cleaner with a distressing clank that the maid did not even seem to hear.
From "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane" by Kate DiCamillo
![]()