ENGLISH
REFERENCE

stressful

adj.
B1 Intermediate US //ˈstɹɛsfəɫ// UK //stɹˈɛsfəl// stress·ful

adj. causing you to feel worried, tired, and unable to relax. You use this to describe situations that put a lot of pressure on you.

adj. causing mental or emotional strain or tension. Often used to describe environments or events that demand significant psychological effort.


SIMPLE

Moving to a new house is very stressful.

CONTEXTUAL

The hospital staff worked long hours in a stressful environment during the peak of the flu season.

COMPLEX

While some people thrive under pressure, most find that a consistently stressful workplace leads to burnout and a significant decline in overall productivity.

Synonyms
Origin

From stress + -ful.

Usage

Commonly modifies nouns like 'job', 'day', 'situation', or 'experience'.

Pitfall

I am very stressful todayI am very stressed todayLearners often use 'stressful' to describe their own feelings, but 'stressful' describes the cause, while 'stressed' describes the person's feeling.

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