cause us distress

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "cause us distress" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing situations, actions, or events that lead to emotional or psychological discomfort for individuals or groups. Example: "The sudden changes in policy may cause us distress as we try to adapt to the new requirements."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

It is not our diverse genders and sexualities that cause us distress – it's the homophobia, transphobia and the social exclusion.

The Guardian - Opinion

They've forgotten to pepper candidates with questions about issues that cause us distress.

Huffington Post

Psychologists call these types of thoughts intrusive thoughts because they pop into our heads, often without warning, and cause us distress.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

It is not our indigeniety that causes us distress.

The Guardian - Opinion

For example, the fact that everyone dies causes us distress and is therefore harmful to us even on Epicurus' criterion.

SEP

This is because many of the wrongs we commit are not so grave as to cause us significant distress, even when they cause unhappiness to those who are victimized by those wrongs.

SEP

A foreign warship off the coast can create an international incident just as our lack of personal boundaries can cause us severe distress.

HuffPost

Because negative emotions cause us discomfort and distress, we may try to tamp them down, hoping that our feelings will dissipate with time.

Harvard University

Wheatley thinks that since dolls live so closely to the boundary, it can be scary, but in a way that's fun; why horror movies are exciting but don't cause us any lasting distress.

Vice

Such that, God will use different people, events, and circumstances to show up in our lives that cause us aggravation and distress, as a catalyst for growth and inspiration.

Huffington Post

"The suffering of the population caused us a lot of distress.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "cause us distress", consider the level of formality required by your audience. While generally acceptable, more formal contexts might benefit from synonyms such as "create anxiety for us" or "inflict suffering on us."

Common error

While "cause us distress" is grammatically correct, overuse in informal conversations can sound overly dramatic. Opt for more casual phrases like "upset us" or "bother us" for everyday scenarios.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "cause us distress" functions as a verb phrase where "cause" is the main verb and "us distress" is the object. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness, indicating that it follows standard English syntax.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

33%

Wiki

17%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "cause us distress" is a grammatically correct and usable expression for describing situations that lead to emotional or psychological suffering. As noted by Ludwig AI, it is a valid English construction. While its frequency is uncommon, it appears in a variety of contexts, including news, science, and wiki articles. When writing, consider the formality of your context and choose synonyms like "create anxiety for us" or "upset us" to better match the tone you want to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

create anxiety for us

Highlights the creation of a state of worry and unease.

generate discomfort for us

Highlights the creation of a feeling of unease and discomfort.

inflict suffering on us

Emphasizes the act of imposing suffering, highlighting the impact of the action.

lead to our suffering

Highlights the consequential aspect of causing suffering.

result in our pain

Focuses on the direct consequence of resulting in pain.

make us uneasy

Focuses on causing a lack of comfort and security.

be a source of anguish for us

Emphasizes the intensity and depth of the distress caused.

bring us sorrow

Focuses on the emotional result of causing sadness or grief.

make us feel miserable

Focuses on the feeling of unhappiness and discomfort that is caused.

give us grief

Uses an idiomatic expression to convey causing trouble and distress.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "cause us distress" to sound more formal?

In formal settings, consider using phrases like "create anxiety for us" or "inflict suffering on us" for a more sophisticated tone.

What are some casual alternatives to "cause us distress"?

For informal conversations, try alternatives such as "upset us", "bother us", or "worry us".

Is it grammatically correct to say "cause distress to us" instead of "cause us distress"?

Both "cause distress to us" and "cause us distress" are grammatically correct, but "cause us distress" is more concise and commonly used.

What's the difference between "cause us distress" and "cause us pain"?

"Cause us distress" generally refers to emotional or psychological suffering, whereas "cause us pain" can refer to either physical or emotional suffering, depending on the context.