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
Freshwater ecosystems across the world are in distress.
—
Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Jan. 2025
The setting allows for a cross section of humanity, united in distress, and occasional passages of sociopolitical commentary.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2025
The agency said witnesses who responded to the crash called 911 on their cellphones instead of using marine VHF radio channel 16 — the international channel for boats in distress, which goes directly to the Coast Guard and other boaters in the area who are listening to the frequency.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 2 Jan. 2025
Maybe somebody having a medical emergency, maybe people that may be in distress.
—Jenny Goldsberry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 30 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for in distress 
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Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Jan. 2025
The setting allows for a cross section of humanity, united in distress, and occasional passages of sociopolitical commentary.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2025
The agency said witnesses who responded to the crash called 911 on their cellphones instead of using marine VHF radio channel 16 — the international channel for boats in distress, which goes directly to the Coast Guard and other boaters in the area who are listening to the frequency.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 2 Jan. 2025
Maybe somebody having a medical emergency, maybe people that may be in distress.
—Jenny Goldsberry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 30 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for in distress
Dictionary Entries Near in distress
Cite this Entry
“In distress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20distress. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
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