stressful

adjective

stress·​ful ˈstres-fəl How to pronounce stressful (audio)
: full of or tending to induce stress
stressfully adverb

Examples of stressful in a Sentence

I had a stressful day at work today.
Recent Examples on the Web Practice paradoxical intention Becoming preoccupied with not getting back to sleep can be hugely stressful in the middle of the night. Georgia Day, Vogue, 25 Mar. 2024 Nickelodeon launched an internal investigation amid the stressful work environment on Sam & Cat, which is detailed in the docuseries, and Schneider was no longer allowed to work on set with the child stars. Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 20 Mar. 2024 People with stressful days and little control over their time are the ones most likely to procrastinate going to sleep, says Lynelle Schneeberg, a sleep psychologist at Yale University. TIME, 18 Mar. 2024 Gainer enjoyed running and used it as a coping mechanism when things became stressful for him, Lacy said. Cindy Von Quednow, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024 Arriving at the airport on time, making it through security, and flagging down your gate can be stressful enough when traveling. Ali Faccenda, Travel + Leisure, 12 Mar. 2024 Alec Baldwin and wife Hilaria Baldwin continue to navigate a stressful time leading up to his trial over the 2021 fatal Rust shooting. Benjamin Vanhoose, Peoplemag, 12 Mar. 2024 A couple of changes to your household expenses will make your life less stressful. Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2024 Without these cars, Owens said basic errands would be more stressful. Ari Plachta, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stressful.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stressful was in 1846

Dictionary Entries Near stressful

Cite this Entry

“Stressful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stressful. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

stressful

adjective
stress·​ful ˈstres-fəl How to pronounce stressful (audio)
: full of or tending to cause stress
stressfully adverb

Medical Definition

stressful

adjective
stress·​ful ˈstres-fəl How to pronounce stressful (audio)
: full of or subject to stress
stressful situations
stressfully adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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