stress
/stres/ (bre, ipa) · /stres/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈstres/ (ame, mw)
stress — noun
- stresssingular
- stressesplural
1. A feeling of worry or mental tension that people get when they face difficult si
A feeling of worry or mental tension that people get when they face difficult situations or have too many things to deal with.
Jisoo felt a lot of stress before her final exam at university.
uncountable noun: 'a lot of stress'
Working long hours without a break can cause serious stress over time.
verb + 'stress': 'cause stress'
After work, Mayumi walks in the park to manage her stress from the office.
The stress of moving to a new country made Linh feel completely exhausted.
Tendai felt intense stress when his manager gave him three project deadlines in one week.
- relaxation
a state of being free from tension and worry
文法句型
stress + of + noun phrase
under + stress
cause + stress
用法筆記
Frequently used with 'under': 'under stress'. This is the most common sense of the word and often collocates with 'manage', 'reduce', 'cause', and 'deal with'.
常見錯誤
2. A difficult situation that happens when a system, organization, or resource is a
A difficult situation that happens when a system, organization, or resource is asked to do more than it can handle.
The city's water system is under stress from the growing population.
'under stress' for systems
Putting too much stress on the old bridge could make it unsafe for drivers.
'put stress on [object]'
The local hospital is facing financial stress after several budget cuts this year.
The computer network broke down under the stress of too many users at once.
文法句型
under + stress
put + stress + on
face + stress
用法筆記
Typically describes pressure on infrastructure, budgets, organizations, or natural systems. Common with 'financial stress', 'water stress', 'environmental stress'.
常見錯誤
3. The greater loudness or emphasis that a speaker gives to one syllable of a word
The greater loudness or emphasis that a speaker gives to one syllable of a word or one word of a sentence, making it stand out from the others.
Mizuki learned that when 'record' is a noun, the stress falls on the first syllable.
'stress falls on [syllable]'
Samir struggled with Spanish stress until his tutor showed him rules for endings like 'ción'.
When Élise stressed 'you' instead of 'more', her friend thought she was being rude.
The teacher told Christopher to put the stress on the second syllable of 'hotel'.
文法句型
stress + falls on + syllable/word
stress + on + syllable/word
word + stress
常見錯誤
4. A force that presses, pulls, or twists on an object, often changing its shape or
A force that presses, pulls, or twists on an object, often changing its shape or causing damage over time.
Engineers like Mateo design steel beams to handle stress without breaking under heavy loads.
Engineers must calculate the stress on every part of the bridge during a storm.
'calculate the stress on [object]'
Extreme heat can create stress in concrete and cause cracks to appear over time.
The earthquake put enormous stress on the building's foundation and walls.
文法句型
under + stress
stress + on + object
cause + stress
用法筆記
Common in engineering and physics contexts. Different types include 'tensile stress' (pulling apart), 'compressive stress' (pushing together), and 'shear stress' (sliding).
5. Special importance or attention given to something seen as crucial — for example
Special importance or attention given to something seen as crucial — for example, when a company puts stress on customer feedback or a teacher stresses the value of daily reading.
The manager placed great stress on teamwork during the staff meeting.
'placed great stress on [noun]'
In this school, teachers put stress on learning through hands-on activities.
The report lays stress on the need for better public transport in rural areas.
The CEO of Asher Corporation puts heavy stress on customer satisfaction in every store.
- emphasis
very close in meaning; 'emphasis' is more common in everyday speech
- importance
broader term; 'stress' implies actively drawing attention to something
- prominence
suggests visibility rather than deliberate focus
文法句型
put + stress + on + noun
lay + stress + on + noun
place + stress + on + noun
用法筆記
Typically occurs in fixed verb phrases: 'place stress on', 'lay stress on', 'put stress on'. More formal than 'emphasize' or 'highlight'.
常見錯誤
stress — verb
- stresspresent simple I / you / we / they
- stresses3rd person singular
- stressing-ing form
- stressedpast simple
1. To say clearly that something is very important or true, often because you want
To say clearly that something is very important or true, often because you want people to pay attention to it or take action.
The doctor stressed the importance of getting at least seven hours of sleep.
'stress + the importance of [gerund]'
Andrés stressed that everyone should wear a seatbelt when driving any car.
'stress + that-clause'
The report stresses the need for better safety measures in the factory.
Teachers at our school often stress the value of reading books every day.
- downplay
to make something seem less important than it is
文法句型
stress + that + clause
stress + noun phrase
stress + the importance/need/value of + noun
用法筆記
Commonly takes a that-clause ('stress that...') or a noun phrase ('stress the importance of...'). More formal than 'say' and stronger than 'mention'. Subject can be a person, report, study, or organization.
常見錯誤
2. To say a particular syllable or word with more force than the others around it,
To say a particular syllable or word with more force than the others around it, making it sound louder or more prominent.
Lotte's English tutor told her to stress the first syllable when saying 'table'.
'stress [syllable]' — pronunciation sense
Lan stressed the word 'Sunday' to make it clear when the party would be held.
Lucas stressed the second syllable of 'contents' by saying it louder than the first.
Aylin's teacher explained that you stress the first syllable of 'photograph', not the second.
- accent
very similar; 'accent' is more common in phonetics, 'stress' is more general
- emphasize
can be used for pronunciation, though less technical
- accentuate
formal and rare in everyday speech
- unstress
to say a syllable with less force
文法句型
stress + syllable/word
stress + noun phrase
3. To feel worried, nervous, or anxious, especially because of problems at work, sc
To feel worried, nervous, or anxious, especially because of problems at work, school, or in personal life.
Sana stressed about her job interview all week before the big day.
'stress about [noun]' — informal
Hari stressed about spilling coffee on his shirt, but his colleague said nobody would notice.
'stress about [gerund phrase]'
William is stressing about his final exams and can hardly sleep at night.
When the flight was cancelled, Folake stressed about missing her sister's wedding the next day.
- relax
to stop feeling worried and become calm
文法句型
stress + about + noun/gerund
stress + over + noun/gerund
stress + out
用法筆記
Informal and very common in spoken English. Often used in the phrasal form 'stress out' (e.g. 'I'm stressing out about the presentation'). Subject must be a person or group of people.
常見錯誤
4. To put too much pressure on a system, machine, organization, or person so that i
To put too much pressure on a system, machine, organization, or person so that it has difficulty working properly.
The extra workload stressed the small team beyond what they could handle.
'stressed [object] beyond capacity'
Heating the glass too quickly can stress it and cause cracks to form.
The sudden flood of orders stressed the factory's production line to its limit.
Riding the bicycle over rough ground stressed the wheels far too much.
- relieve
to reduce or remove pressure from a system or person
文法句型
stress + noun phrase
be + stressed + by + noun
stress + the + limits/capacity of + noun
用法筆記
Often used in the passive voice: 'The system was stressed by the sudden demand.' Common in technical and business contexts. Object can be a physical object (machine, material) or an abstract one (system, budget, team).