# stressful

/ˈstɹɛsfəɫ/ (US) · /stɹˈɛsfəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/stressful
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. causing worry or pressure

adjective · CEFR B1

making you feel worried or anxious because of too much work or difficult problems.

For teachers: causing mental or emotional tension; often used to describe environments or events that demand high levels of effort or resilience.

- Moving to a new house can be a very stressful experience for a family.
- The deadline-driven nature of the project created a stressful atmosphere in the office, leading to several heated arguments among the staff.

## Examples

- Moving to a new house is very stressful.
- The hospital staff worked long hours in a stressful environment during the peak of the flu season.
- While some people thrive under pressure, most find that a consistently stressful workplace leads to burnout and a significant decline in overall productivity.

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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.