distressing (adj.)
- acute
- affecting
- afflictive
- agonizing
- annoying
- atrocious
- baleful
- baneful
- biting
- bitter
- bleak
- bothersome
- calamitous
- cheerless
- comfortless
- corrosive
- corrupting
- corruptive
- counterproductive
- cruel
- damaging
- deadly
- deleterious
- deplorable
- depressing
- depressive
- detrimental
- dire
- disadvantageous
- dismal
- dismaying
- disquieting
- distressful
- disturbing
- dolorous
- dreary
- excruciating
- grave
- grievous
- hard
- harmful
- harrowing
- harsh
- heartbreaking
- hurtful
- injurious
- joyless
- lamentable
- lethal
- malefic
- malevolent
- malign
- malignant
- mischievous
- mournful
- moving
- noisome
- noxious
- ominous
- painful
- paroxysmal
- pathetic
- pernicious
- piercing
- piteous
- pitiable
- poignant
- poisonous
- prejudicial
- pungent
- racking
- regrettable
- rueful
- sad
- severe
- sharp
- shooting
- sore
- sorrowful
- spasmodic
- stabbing
- stinging
- torturous
- touching
- toxic
- troublesome
- uncomfortable
- unfortunate
- upsetting
- venomous
- vicious
- virulent
- woebegone
- woeful
- worrisome
- worrying
- wretched
