distraught meaning

distraught means 'very upset or worried'.

distraught :

very upset, very worried

adjective

▪ She was distraught after losing her keys.

▪ She was very upset after losing her keys.

▪ He looked distraught when he heard the news.

▪ He looked very worried when he heard the news.

paraphrasing

▪ distressed – very upset

▪ anxious – very worried

▪ troubled – having problems

▪ agitated – very nervous

distraught

Pronunciation

distraught [dɪˈstrɔːt]

The stress is on 'traught' and sounds like 'di-strawt'.

Common phrases and grammar about distraught

distraught - Common meaning

adjective
very upset, very worried

Part of Speech Changes for "distraught"

▪ distraughtness (noun) – state of being very upset or worried

Common Expressions with "distraught"

▪ look distraught – appear very upset

▪ feel distraught – be very worried

▪ become distraught – get very upset

▪ sound distraught – speak in a worried way

Important examples of distraught in TOEIC

Vocabulary examples from the TOEIC test

In TOEIC vocabulary questions, distraught is used to describe someone who is extremely upset.

▪She was distraught over the missing documents.
▪She was very upset over the missing documents.

Example of a confusing word: distracted (unable to concentrate)

▪She was distracted over the missing documents.
▪She was unable to concentrate because of the missing documents.
"Distraught" is an adjective meaning "extremely upset" or "agitated," and it accurately describes a strong emotional reaction to a situation, such as missing documents. "Distracted," on the other hand, means "unable to concentrate" or "having one's attention diverted," which implies a lack of focus rather than intense emotional distress. The sentence "She was distracted over the missing documents" is grammatically correct but conveys a different meaning, suggesting she couldn't focus rather than being deeply upset. Therefore, "distraught" is the correct choice for expressing severe emotional disturbance.

Grammar examples from the TOEIC test

As an adjective, distraught describes a person's emotional state and often appears in questions asking for synonyms.

▪He appeared distraught after the meeting.
▪He looked very upset after the meeting.

distraught

Idioms and fixed expressions in TOEIC

distraught with worry

means 'extremely worried', used to describe someone deeply concerned.

▪She was distraught with worry about her son.
▪She was extremely worried about her son.

beside oneself with grief

means 'overwhelmed by sadness', used to describe extreme emotional distress.

▪He was beside himself with grief after the loss.
▪He was overwhelmed by sadness after the loss.

Differences between similar words and distraught

distraught

,

distressed

differences

Distraught is a stronger emotion than distressed, which means upset but not as intensely.

distraught
▪She felt distraught after the accident.
▪She felt very upset after the accident.
distressed
▪He was distressed about the delay.
▪He was upset about the delay.

distraught

,

anxious

differences

Distraught is more about being upset, while anxious is more about being worried or nervous.

distraught
▪She was distraught over the bad news.
▪He felt worried before the test.
anxious
▪He felt anxious before the test.
▪He felt worried before the test.

Words with the same origin as distraught

The origin of distraught

The word's etymology is not clear.

Word structure

The analysis of the word's composition is unclear.

Words with the same origin

The word's root is unclear or difficult to confirm.

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