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 Resolving our chronic stress means being able to close our stress cycle response, something that can be very difficult for Black women, who may regularly find themselves in chronic and prolonged stressful environments. Dominique Fluker, Essence, 16 Apr. 2024 Unfortunately, early trial results suggested that administering the capsules was stressful for sick koalas. Emily Anthes Chang W. Lee, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2024 This can be a stressful time for students and teachers alike. Caroline Beck, The Indianapolis Star, 15 Apr. 2024 For example, American Airlines allows small dogs in a carrier to be placed under the seat in front, but larger dogs are put in the cargo space, which has been found to be stressful for the pet. Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024 The change will also make the process less stressful for gate agents, Delta added. Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2024 But last fall was such a stressful time that one of her friends, also a Palestinian citizen of Israel, created a podcast as a way for people to speak out. Jennifer Ludden, NPR, 9 Apr. 2024 Secretary of State Antony Blinken, attending a NATO meeting in Brussels, was dialed into Thursday's call at one of the most stressful points in the increasingly fraught relationship between the two allies. Shannon K. Crawford, ABC News, 5 Apr. 2024 Also, try to anticipate when there will be stressful situations. Katia Hetter, CNN, 4 Apr. 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 24 Apr. 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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