# stressed

/ˈstɹɛst/ (US) · /stɹˈɛst/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/stressed
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. worried or anxious

adjective · CEFR B1

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

For teachers: experiencing mental or emotional strain resulting from demanding circumstances.

- He felt very stressed about his job interview and couldn't sleep.
- Many employees reported feeling increasingly stressed as the merger deadline approached and the workload doubled overnight.

### 2. emphasised sound

adjective · CEFR B2 · Technical

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

For teachers: bearing a linguistic accent or emphasis within a word or phrase.

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

## Examples

- I feel very stressed about my exams next week.
- The manager noticed that her team seemed increasingly stressed as the project deadline approached.
- Chronic exposure to high-pressure environments can leave employees feeling permanently stressed, eventually leading to burnout if the underlying causes are not addressed.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.