English Reference
adjective

stressed

adj.
US /ˈstɹɛst/ UK /stɹˈɛst/ stressed

  1. 01 B1 Intermediate

    feeling very worried or tired because you have too much work or too many problems.

    experiencing mental or emotional strain resulting from demanding circumstances.

    Simple

    He felt very stressed about his job interview and couldn't sleep.

    In context

    Many employees reported feeling increasingly stressed as the merger deadline approached and the workload doubled overnight.

    Pitfall
    The exam was very stressed. The exam was very stressful.

    Use 'stressed' to describe how a person feels. Use 'stressful' to describe the situation that causes the feeling.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate Technical

    describes a part of a word that you say more loudly or clearly than the others.

    bearing a linguistic accent or emphasis within a word or phrase.

    Simple

    In the word 'apple', the first part is the stressed syllable.

    In context

    Learners often struggle with English rhythm because they fail to distinguish between stressed and unstressed syllables in rapid speech.

    Usage

    Usually placed before the noun it describes, such as 'stressed syllable'.

    unstressed

Usage stressed the importance

This entry
Level B1 · Intermediate
Frequency Common
Updated