1. Causing distress, worry or anxiety
   "distressing news";
   - distressful, disturbing, perturbing, troubling, worrisome, worrying, unsettling, concerning
    
2. Bad; unfortunate
   "my finances were in a distressing state";
   - deplorable, lamentable, pitiful, sad, sorry

1. Cause mental pain to
   "The news of her child's illness distressed the mother"
    
2. Bring into difficulties or distress, especially financial hardship
   "The new policies distressed small businesses";
   - straiten

See also: bad, heavy

Type of: bother, discommode [archaic], disoblige, disturb, incommode [archaic], inconvenience, put out, trouble, upset

Encyclopedia: Distressing