under heavy stress

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "under heavy stress" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where someone is experiencing significant pressure or anxiety. Example: "She performed exceptionally well on the exam, even though she was under heavy stress from her job."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Under the main stress accent of the word, Latin vowels have often become diphthongs in Romance, perhaps as a result of lengthening under heavy stress or as a consequence of the raising influence of following high vowels (a process known as breaking, similar in action to German umlaut).

Encyclopedia Britannica

The application will refuse to serve any new incoming client requests when the system is under heavy stress.

Journal of Internet Services and Applications

Military historian Dr Aaron William Moore is a specialist in analysing soldier's diaries, and says mentions of sport - and other superficial subjects - are to be expected in the writings of men under heavy stress.

BBC

Even if you're not embarrassed to be part of that mass (though you should be), think of it selfishly: redeeming during the bookends of the deal guarantees a degraded customer experience for you because the business will be under heavy stress.

Huffington Post

Among nonsmokers, the risks of ETS exposure at home were higher for those who drank alcohol regularly, did not exercise regularly, were under heavy stress, and who undergo regular health examinations.

Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source

Recently, evidence has been provided that veal calves and cows, under heavy stress conditions, would produce endogenous prednisolone, resulting in the presence of trace amounts of the glucocorticoid in the urine together with remarkable levels of cortisol and cortisone [ 14].

BMC Veterinary Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

However, this induction would be damaged inevitably under heavy stresses conditions, suggesting that drought treatment might lead a severe impact on the detoxification enzymes systems.

BMC Genomics

Singh et al. observed that the expression of OsCBSX4 was up-regulated under high salinity, heavy metal, and oxidative stresses at seedling stage of a salt tolerant (Pokkali) rice cultivar, whilst its expression was upregulated only under NaCl stress, downregulated under heavy metal stress and kept unchanged under oxidative stress in a salt sensitive (IR64) rice one [ 43].

BMC Plant Biology

Similar upward trend in MDA and H2O2 was observed in Brassica under Cd stress [ 16, 22] and in wheat under heavy metal stress [ 36].

BioMed Research International

Accurate estimation of the chlorophyll concentration of a crop under heavy metal stress is essential for precision crop production.

Biosystems Engineering

Recent studies also demonstrated that the expression of GRP78 enhances the cell survival under heavy metal stress.

Gene

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "under heavy stress", ensure the context clearly indicates the source and nature of the stress. For instance, specify whether it's work-related, financial, or emotional stress for better clarity.

Common error

Avoid relying too heavily on "under heavy stress". Vary your language with synonyms like "experiencing significant pressure" or "facing considerable strain" to enhance the impact of your writing and maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "under heavy stress" functions primarily as a prepositional phrase modifying a noun or pronoun, indicating a condition or state of being. As Ludwig AI indicates, this phrase is grammatically correct. Examples show its use in describing the state of individuals, systems, or even plants.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

43%

News & Media

43%

Formal & Business

14%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "under heavy stress" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to describe a state of significant strain or pressure. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is appropriate in various contexts, ranging from scientific discussions to news reports. While not extremely frequent, its usage is consistent across different sources, including Huffington Post, The New York Times and BBC, with Science and News & Media being the most common contexts. When using this phrase, consider clarifying the source of the stress and varying your language to avoid overuse.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

under severe pressure

Replaces "stress" with "pressure", indicating a strong sense of obligation or demand.

under considerable strain

Substitutes "stress" with "strain", emphasizing the tension and potential for damage.

experiencing intense pressure

Rephrases the entire expression to focus on the act of experiencing pressure, highlighting the subjective feeling.

under immense duress

Replaces both "heavy" and "stress" with "immense duress", suggesting coercion or threat.

subject to great pressure

Uses "subject to" instead of "under", shifting the perspective to being acted upon.

grappling with significant burdens

Alters the expression to describe the act of dealing with heavy responsibilities or problems.

facing substantial adversity

Replaces "stress" with "adversity", indicating challenging or unfavorable circumstances.

in a state of high anxiety

Focuses on the emotional state resulting from the pressure, replacing "stress" with "anxiety".

undergoing extreme hardship

Shifts the meaning towards enduring difficult or painful conditions.

navigating turbulent times

Uses a metaphorical expression to describe a period of difficulty and uncertainty.

FAQs

What does "under heavy stress" mean?

The phrase "under heavy stress" means experiencing a significant amount of pressure, strain, or anxiety. It describes a situation where someone is dealing with considerable difficulty or burden.

How can I use "under heavy stress" in a sentence?

You can use "under heavy stress" to describe someone's state or a system's condition. For example: "The team performed well even though they were "under heavy stress" due to the deadline."

What are some alternative ways to say "under heavy stress"?

You can use alternatives like "under severe pressure", "under considerable strain", or "experiencing intense pressure" depending on the context.

Is it more appropriate to say "under great stress" or "under heavy stress"?

Both "under great stress" and "under heavy stress" are acceptable. "Great" emphasizes the degree or intensity of the stress, while "heavy" emphasizes the burden or weight of the stress. The choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.