in distress
idiom
1
: very upset
He was clearly in distress upon hearing the news.
2
: in a very difficult situation in which one does not have enough money, food, etc.
She's chosen to devote her life to helping those in distress.
3
of a boat, airplane, etc.
: in a state of danger or desperate need
The ship was in distress.
Examples of in distress in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
He was reported in distress around 8 p.m. Monday in a section of the Nissequogue that flows through Kings Park.
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Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 14 May 2025
Yes, her character Grace has become the love interest of Tom Cruise’s character Ethan Hunt in these latest Mission: Impossible films, but both actor Hayley Atwell and her on-screen persona are far from being a damsel in distress.
—Jeff Conway, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
The uptick in distress continues a trend that started last year.
—Jill Schlesinger, Mercury News, 12 May 2025
The unpredictability has put one international student at the University of Illinois in distress.
—Makiya Seminera, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for in distress
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Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 14 May 2025
Yes, her character Grace has become the love interest of Tom Cruise’s character Ethan Hunt in these latest Mission: Impossible films, but both actor Hayley Atwell and her on-screen persona are far from being a damsel in distress.
—Jeff Conway, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
The uptick in distress continues a trend that started last year.
—Jill Schlesinger, Mercury News, 12 May 2025
The unpredictability has put one international student at the University of Illinois in distress.
—Makiya Seminera, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for in distress
Cite this Entry
“In distress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20distress. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
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