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A state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances.
Work-related stress can lead to burnout.
Pressure from work can cause exhaustion and reduced performance.
He handles stress better than anyone I know.
He manages mental strain more effectively than others.
Often used in psychology and workplace contexts.
Emphasis or importance placed on a particular syllable or word in speech.
In the word 'record', the stress is on the first syllable when it's a noun, but on the second when it's a verb.
The pronunciation changes based on whether 'record' is used as a noun or verb.
Critical in phonetics and language learning.
Force per unit area applied to an object.
The stress on the bridge increased during the storm.
The force per unit area on the bridge's structure grew stronger during the storm.
Used in physics and engineering to describe mechanical loads.
'Stress' is the force applied (e.g., pressure on a bridge), while 'strain' is the resulting deformation (e.g., the bridge bending).
Always check if 'stress' refers to mental pressure (psychology), linguistic emphasis (speech), or physical force (engineering).
From Middle English 'distresse' (via Old French 'estrece' from Latin 'strictus', meaning 'drawn tight'), evolving into 'stress' by the 17th century with meanings shifting from physical pressure to mental strain.
Common in both everyday and professional contexts. In psychology, 'stress' refers to the body's response to challenges, while in engineering, it describes mechanical forces. Avoid confusing with 'strain' (deformation due to stress).