stress

Pronunciation

• IPA ^(key): /strɛs/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

Singular stress

Plural stresses

1. (countable & uncountable) Stress is emotional pressure that makes you worry because things are not going well.

   Death is a time of great stress for family and friends.

   Plants under stress from lack of water or disease are the most likely to attract problem insects.

2. (countable & uncountable) Stress is physical pressure that gradually can cause things to break

   Sitting puts an unnatural stress on the back and shortens the neck.

3. (uncountable) Stress is extra attention or importance that you put on something.

   Psychology has put a lot of stress on the childhood roots of adult problems.

4. (countable & uncountable) Stress is extra loudness that you use in a word or in music.

   Put more stress on the first syllable of the word.

Synonyms

• strain
• emphasis

Verb

Plain form stress

Third-person singular stresses

Past tense stressed

Past participle stressed

Present participle stressing

1. (transitive) If you stress something, you say that it is very important.

   I have repeatedly stressed the importance of hard work, but luck is also helpful.

2. (transitive) If you stress a word, part of a word, or a note in music, you make it louder than other words or notes.

Synonyms

• emphasise/emphasize
• reinforce
• highlight