Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Distressful \Dis*tress"ful\, a.
   Full of distress; causing, indicating, or attended with,
   distress; as, a distressful situation. ``Some distressful
   stroke.'' --Shak. ``Distressful cries.'' --Pope. --
   {Dis*tress"ful*ly}, adv.

Source : WordNet®

distressful
     adj : causing distress or worry or anxiety; "distressing (or
           disturbing) news"; "lived in heroic if something
           distressful isolation"; "a disturbing amount of crime";
           "a revelation that was most perturbing"; "a new and
           troubling thought"; "in a particularly worrisome
           predicament"; "a worrying situation"; "a worrying time"
           [syn: {distressing}, {disturbing}, {perturbing}, {troubling},
            {worrisome}, {worrying}]