ENGLISH
REFERENCE

stressing

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈstɹɛsɪŋ// UK //stɹˈɛsɪŋ// stress·ing

v. to worry a lot about something, or to make someone else feel very worried and tired.

v. experiencing or causing mental or emotional strain. Often used intransitively to describe the act of worrying excessively about a situation.


SIMPLE

Stop stressing about the exam; you have studied hard.

CONTEXTUAL

She has been stressing over the wedding preparations for weeks and really needs a break.

COMPLEX

While some managers believe that stressing their employees leads to higher productivity, research suggests that chronic pressure actually diminishes cognitive performance and long-term engagement.

Synonyms
Usage

Often followed by the preposition 'about' or 'over' when used intransitively.

Pitfall

I am stressing for the testI am stressing about the testWhen expressing worry, the verb typically takes 'about' or 'over' rather than 'for'.

© 2026 English Reference