Distressing
Distressing adjective - Of a kind to cause great distress.
Usage example: the distressing death of our favorite actor
Touching and distressing are semantically related. In some cases you can use "Touching" instead an adjective "Distressing".
Touching
Touching adjective - Having a border in common.
Distressing and touching are semantically related. Sometimes you can use "Distressing" instead an adjective "Touching".
Mutual synonyms
Related pairs
- moving and distressing
- moving and touching
- pitiful and distressing
- pitiful and touching
- disturbing and distressing
- disturbing and touching
- grievous and distressing
- grievous and touching
- sad and distressing
- sad and touching
- miserable and distressing
- miserable and touching
- wretched and distressing
- wretched and touching
Both words in one sentence
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Caligari, Francis and Alan are supposed to be best friends who are both in love with Jane, but they're extremely affectionate with each other (and not toward Jane)—constantly touching each other, roughhousing, and clutching at each other when something distressing happens.
Source: Ho Yay / Film
Cite this Source
Touching and Distressing. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 15, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/distressing/touching
Distressing & Touching. N.p., 2016. Web. 15 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/distressing/touching>.
Touching or Distressing. 2016. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/distressing/touching.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "distressing" and "touching" have occurred on timeline