distressing

Adjective

WordNet 3.0

causing distress or worry or anxiety“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”Synonyms: distressful disturbing perturbing troubling worrisome worrying
bad; unfortunate“my finances were in a deplorable state”“a lamentable decision”“her clothes were in sad shape”“a sorry state of affairs”Synonyms: deplorable lamentable pitiful sad sorry

Distress \Dis*tress"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Distressed; p. pr. & vb. n. Distressing.] [Cf. OF. destrecier. See Distress, n.]

1.To cause pain or anguish to; to pain; to oppress with calamity; to afflict; to harass; to make miserable. [1913 Webster]

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed.— 2 Cor. iv. 8.[1913 Webster]

2.To compel by pain or suffering. [1913 Webster]

Men who can neither be distressed nor won into a sacrifice of duty.— A. Hamilton.[1913 Webster]

3.(Law) To seize for debt; to distrain.

Syn: To pain; grieve; harass; trouble; perplex; afflict; worry; annoy. [1913 Webster]

distressing \dis*tress"ing\ (d[i^]s*tr[e^]s"[i^]ng), a. Causing distress; painful; unpleasant. [1913 Webster]

Distressing \Dis*tress"ing\, adv. In a distressing manner. [1913 Webster]