adding to distress

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "adding to distress" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing a situation or action that exacerbates someone's feelings of anxiety, sadness, or discomfort. Example: "The constant delays in the project timeline are adding to distress among the team members."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Until now the rules have encouraged higher leverage in good times and much lower in bad times, adding to distress at just the wrong moment.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Watching television coverage constantly can add to distress for both adults and children, some experts said, and people should remember that the set can be switched off.

The New York Times

Flanagan apologised to the McCanns for adding to their "distress and hurt".

The Guardian

He says the speculation in the media is adding to their distress.

The Guardian

Ignorance about the condition in the female sex extends to professionals, adding to the distress it causes.

Independent

A severe shortage of nurses is adding to the distress, Ms. Meyer said, as new state regulations actually require adding nurses.

The New York Times

I am unable to write creatively myself anymore, though I used to, and this creative block is adding to my distress.

The Guardian - Books

Health officials have likened the failure to breast-feed to the risk of smoking during pregnancy, adding to the distress and guilt suffered by these women.

The New York Times

Many women have told the association, which maintains a registry of more than 7,000 patients, that family and friends and sometimes doctors have trivialized their symptoms, adding to their distress and contributing to the delay in diagnosis.

The New York Times - Health

The group said there was an urgent need for a review of the financial impact that recent changes to welfare have on people who have been bereaved, warning that the Government risked adding to the "distress" of grieving families.

Independent

He was referring to the hacking of the murder victim's phone after she was abducted but before her body was found, adding to the distress of her family and confusing the police investigation by deleting some messages to make room for more.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "adding to distress", consider the specific emotion you're describing. Choose synonyms that accurately reflect the nuance, such as "heightening anxiety" or "exacerbating sorrow", for greater precision.

Common error

While "adding to distress" is acceptable, overuse can make writing sound repetitive. Vary your language by using stronger verbs or more descriptive phrases to convey the intensification of negative emotions.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "adding to distress" functions as a verb phrase, often acting as part of a predicate to indicate the process of increasing someone's emotional or psychological suffering. Ludwig AI confirms this is correct.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

35%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "adding to distress" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to describe the worsening of negative emotions or difficult situations. As Ludwig AI points out, it is correct and serves to communicate the intensification of suffering. Found across various sources like The New York Times, The Guardian, and scientific publications, its register is considered neutral, making it versatile for different writing contexts. When choosing "adding to distress", bear in mind you can use alternative that can enhance the precision of your message such as "exacerbating suffering" or "intensifying anguish". Despite its validity, avoid overuse to maintain writing clarity and variety.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

exacerbating suffering

This alternative focuses on the worsening of suffering, highlighting the intensity of the negative impact.

intensifying anguish

This emphasizes the amplification of mental or emotional pain, rather than general distress.

heightening misery

This alternative stresses the amplification of wretchedness, implying a profound sense of unhappiness.

compounding grief

This emphasizes the addition of new elements to existing grief, rather than distress in general.

augmenting sorrow

This focuses on increasing feelings of sadness or regret, rather than overall distress.

worsening unease

This alternative highlights the increase in anxiety or apprehension.

fuelling anxiety

This emphasizes the act of promoting the feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease.

aggravating hardship

This stresses the increase in difficulty or suffering in one's life.

deepening despair

This focuses on amplifying the feelings of hopelessness.

inflaming tensions

This alternative underlines the increase in strain or hostility between individuals or groups.

FAQs

How can I use "adding to distress" in a sentence?

You can use "adding to distress" to describe situations or actions that increase someone's feelings of anxiety, sadness, or discomfort. For example, "The constant delays are "adding to distress" among the project team".

What are some alternatives to "adding to distress"?

Depending on the specific context, you can use alternatives like "exacerbating suffering", "intensifying anguish", or "heightening misery".

Is it better to say "adding to distress" or "increasing distress"?

Both "adding to distress" and "increasing distress" are grammatically correct and convey a similar meaning. The choice depends on personal preference and the desired tone of your writing. "Adding to" might imply a more gradual or cumulative effect.

What's the difference between "adding to distress" and "causing distress"?

"Adding to distress" implies that some level of distress already exists, and something is making it worse. "Causing distress", on the other hand, suggests that something is creating the distress from the beginning. For example, the bad news is "adding to distress", but the accident is "causing distress".