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.

Tinnitus can range from mildly irritating to severely distressing.

From Science Daily • May 15, 2026

Despite what a distressing number of credentialed Americans appear to think, antisemitism doesn’t burst onto the scene ex nihilo with pogroms and Nuremberg Laws.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

"This remains a deeply distressing matter," police commissioner Martin Dole told reporters.

From Barron's • May 3, 2026

Humor is not entirely absent from “Half Man,” some of the characters’ reactions to their distressing realities earn a chuckle.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026

It is distressing to watch their movements, to see them begging for something to eat.

From "All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel" by Erich Maria Remarque