stress
/stɹɛs/
The word centers on the concept of "tension"—whether that tension is psychological, physical, or auditory. It describes a state where something is being pushed or pulled to its limit. In a psychological context, it carries a heavy negative connotation of burden and anxiety. Unlike "pressure," which can sometimes be motivating, stress usually implies an overwhelming weight that threatens one's well-being. When applied to materials, it is a technical term for force. It evokes the image of a beam bending or a cable stretching just before the point of failure. In linguistics and communication, the meaning shifts from "strain" to "prominence." To stress something is to make it stand out against a background of less important information, acting as a verbal highlighter.
Uncountable when describing the general feeling of anxiety from a job or the physical pressure on a bridge. Countable when identifying a specific accented syllable in a word ('the first stress of the phrase').
💬Casual Conversation
I'm literally shaking. The stress is eating me alive.
Maybe if you stopped scrolling and actually grinded, you'd feel better.
Meanings
Mental or emotional strain resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances.
"The high-pressure environment of the job caused her a great deal of stress."
Pressure exerted on a material object, typically one that causes deformation.
"The bridge collapsed because the steel beams were under too much stress."
The relative emphasis or prominence given to a syllable in pronunciation.
"In the word 'apple', the stress is on the first syllable."
To give particular emphasis or importance to a point, statement, or piece of information.
"The teacher continued to stress the importance of arriving on time."
To place a particular emphasis on a syllable when speaking.
"You should stress the second syllable in this word."
Etymology
Derived from the Old French word estresse, meaning narrowness or distress, which evolved from the Latin strictus, the past participle of stringere, meaning to draw tight or bind. The term originally referred to a state of being constrained or tightened, which later expanded to describe physical pressure on materials and the psychological feeling of being overwhelmed.