distressed
/dɪˈstrest/ (bre, ipa) · /dɪˈstrest/ (ame, ipa) · /di-ˈstrest/ (ame, mw)
distressed — 形容詞
- distressedpositive
- more distressedcomparative
- most distressedsuperlative
1. feeling very unhappy, worried, or upset because something unpleasant or stressfu
憂慮；難過
因不愉快事件而深感不安
feeling very unhappy, worried, or upset because something unpleasant or stressful has happened to you or someone you care about.
Lakshmi felt deeply distressed when she heard the news about the accident.
Lakshmi 聽到事故的消息時感到非常憂慮。
distressed + when-clause for emotional cause
The family was visibly distressed by the sudden change in the treatment plan.
那家人明顯因為治療計畫突然改變而感到難過。
distressed by + noun phrase; visibly distressed
Minh could see how distressed his grandmother looked after the storm damaged her home.
Minh 看得出來他的祖母在暴風雨毀壞她的房子後有多麼憂慮。
Pedro wrote a letter to the manager, distressed at the unfair decision.
Pedro 寫了一封信給經理，對這個不公平的決定感到十分難過。
Hugo was distressed to learn that his application had been rejected.
Hugo 得知自己的申請被拒絕後感到非常沮喪。
- upset
a more general, everyday word that can describe mild or serious emotional disturbance
- troubled
suggests ongoing worry or inner conflict rather than a reaction to a single event
- distraught
stronger than distressed; implies extreme agitation and inability to think clearly
文法句型
distressed + at/by/about + noun phrase
feel/look/seem + distressed
distressed + to-infinitive
distressed + that-clause
用法筆記
Frequently followed by a prepositional phrase (at / by / about) naming the cause, or by a to-infinitive. The cause is typically a specific event or situation, not a personality trait. Distinguish from sense 2, which describes financial hardship rather than emotional upset.
常見錯誤
2. experiencing serious money problems, such as being unable to pay debts, meet bas
經濟困難的
因缺錢而陷入困境
experiencing serious money problems, such as being unable to pay debts, meet basic living costs, or keep a business running.
The bank created a special program to help distressed homeowners keep their houses.
銀行設立了一項特別方案，幫助經濟困難的屋主保住房子。
distressed + noun group [homeowners/families/farmers]
Adina's parents lost their jobs, leaving the family financially distressed for almost two years.
Adina 的父母雙雙失業，使這個家庭陷入將近兩年的經濟困境。
financially distressed — common adverb collocation
The charity provides free meals and shelter for distressed families across the city.
這家慈善機構為全市經濟困難的家庭提供免費餐食和住所。
Several small factories in the region are distressed after the main buyer went bankrupt.
該地區有幾間小工廠因為主要買家破產而陷入財務困境。
The government sent emergency funds to distressed farming communities in the drought area.
政府將緊急資金撥給了旱災地區陷入經濟困難的農業社區。
- impoverished
more formal and suggests long-term poverty rather than a crisis period
- needy
focuses on lack of basic necessities rather than the broader economic situation
- struggling
softer and more informal; can describe temporary difficulty as well as serious hardship
文法句型
distressed + noun [families/farmers/areas/industries]
financially distressed
economically distressed
用法筆記
Commonly used attributively before nouns for people or entities affected by poverty or economic crisis: distressed families, distressed businesses, distressed areas. When used predicatively, it is often modified by the adverb financially.
常見錯誤
3. deliberately treated or manufactured to look old, worn, or used, as a style choi
仿舊的
經特殊處理呈現使用痕跡
deliberately treated or manufactured to look old, worn, or used, as a style choice in fashion, furniture, or interior design.
Lara bought a distressed leather jacket that looked like a vintage find from the 1970s.
Lara 買了一件仿舊皮革夾克，看起來就像從七〇年代挖到的 vintage 單品。
distressed + material noun [leather/denim/wood]
The restaurant's designer chose distressed wooden beams to create a rustic atmosphere.
餐廳設計師選擇了仿舊木樑來營造鄉村風的氛圍。
Sophia wore a pair of distressed jeans with holes at both knees to the concert.
Sophia 穿著一條兩邊膝蓋都有破洞的仿舊牛仔褲去聽演唱會。
Eri found a distressed cabinet at the market that looked antique but was actually new.
Eri 在市場找到一個仿舊櫥櫃，看起來像古董但其實是新的。
文法句型
distressed + material noun [leather/denim/wood/fabric]
distressed + product noun [jeans/jacket/furniture]
用法筆記
This sense refers exclusively to manufactured appearance — the item is deliberately made to seem older or more worn than it really is through techniques such as sanding, chemical washing, or scraping. Do not use this sense for items that are genuinely old and well-used.
常見錯誤
4. suffering from physical pain, injury, illness, or exhaustion that puts the body
痛苦不適的
身體承受嚴重壓力或疼痛
suffering from physical pain, injury, illness, or exhaustion that puts the body under severe strain, often visible in the person's appearance or breathing.
The injured cyclist looked pale and distressed, barely able to stand after the crash.
那位受傷的自行車騎士臉色蒼白、痛苦不適，車禍後幾乎站不起來。
look distressed — visible physical state
After running the marathon, Arjun was too distressed to speak for several minutes.
跑完馬拉松後，Arjun 痛苦不適到好幾分鐘說不出話來。
The distressed animal was found lying by the roadside and taken to a shelter.
那隻痛苦不適的動物在路邊被發現，被帶去了收容所。
Dewi's distressed breathing worried the nurses in the emergency room.
Dewi 痛苦不適的呼吸聲讓急診室的護理人員非常擔心。
- comfortable
free from pain or physical stress
- well
in good physical health
文法句型
look/sound/seem + distressed
distressed + by/from + physical cause
用法筆記
Describes observable physical suffering — labored breathing, inability to move, visible pain — rather than emotional upset. Distinguish from sense 1: a person can be emotionally distressed (sense 1) without being physically distressed (sense 4). In medical writing, 'respiratory distress' and 'fetal distress' are fixed expressions using the noun form.