Distress
Distress verb - To trouble the mind of; to make uneasy.
Usage example: don't let all the bad news distress you
Upset is a synonym for distress in action topic. In some cases you can use "Upset" instead the word "Distress" as a verb or a noun, when it comes to topics like bother, jar, confusion, cause anguish to. popular alternative
Upset
Upset verb - To trouble the mind of; to make uneasy.
Usage example: the smallest things can upset us if we're already stressed
Distress is a synonym for upset in bother topic. You can use "Distress" instead the word "Upset" as a verb or a noun, if it concerns topics such as problem, jar, confusion. popular alternative
Nearby Word: upsetting
Mutual synonyms
How words are described
| emotional | emotional distress | emotional upset |
| good | good distress | good upset |
| complete | complete distress | complete upset |
| real | real distress | real upset |
| Other adjectives: massive, extreme, great, little, major, incredible, former, slightest, latter, greatest, biggest, digestive. | ||
Common collocations
| daughter | distress daughter | upset daughter |
Both words in one sentence
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Her advice only serves to distress and upset Christine more and more, but she's totally blind to the fact that Rhoda is a serial killer.
Source: Literature / The Bad Seed -
He is highly upset and desperately trying to convey his frustration and distress to the crew, who can't understand him without words.
Source: You Are Not Alone -
While she does get understandably upset and tries to keep making her point, she eventually capitulates when she sees the distress it's causing people and conforms.
Cite this Source
Upset and Distress. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/distress/upset
Distress & Upset. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/distress/upset>.
Upset or Distress. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/distress/upset.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "distress" and "upset" have occurred on timeline