Word
distraught
Phoneticsdis·traught, stress on the second syllable
US/dɪˈstɹɔt/
UK/dɪstɹˈɔːt/
Definitions
01extremely upset
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. extremely worried or upset, often because something terrible has happened.
adj. deeply agitated or incapacitated by emotional distress, such as grief or worry.
“The family was distraught when they heard their dog had gone missing.”
“The distraught relatives gathered at the hospital, waiting for any news regarding the survivors of the accident.”
Usage
Usually follows a linking verb like 'be', 'become', or 'seem'.
Teaching tip
This is a much stronger word than 'sad' or 'upset'; it implies a loss of emotional control.
Synonyms
02mentally unstable
C2 · Proficiency Archaic · Literary
adj. an old-fashioned way to describe someone who has lost their mind.
adj. mentally deranged or insane; largely superseded by modern psychological terminology.
“In the old story, the king became distraught and wandered the halls alone.”
“The protagonist's descent into a distraught state was depicted through fragmented prose and erratic dialogue.”
Teaching tip
In modern English, this sense is almost never used; 'distraught' now almost exclusively refers to extreme sadness.
Real-World Examples
“It starts with children and their mothers—including a younger, more innocent Sarah Connor—on a playground, oblivious to the danger, as a distraught Sarah soundlessly tries to warn them by banging on the chain-link fence.” “No less distraught, her husband threatened to kill himself.” Etymology
From Middle English distraught, blend of distract (“distracted”) and straught (“stretched, distraught”), past participle of strecchen (“to stretch”). Compare also bestraught, extraught, forstraught, etc. More at distract, stretch.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/distraught