Great emotional stress vs Stress

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Great emotional stress

Top 3,000 (common)

Stress

Top 1,000 (very common)A2noun
Most common: Stress
 Great emotional stressStress
Pronunciation🇬🇧 //ɡreɪt ɪˈməʊʃənl strɛs//🇺🇸 //ɡreɪt ɪˈmoʊʃənl strɛs//🇬🇧 /["/stres/"]/🇺🇸 /["/stres/"]/
MeaningA lot of emotional pressure or worry.a feeling of worry or pressure
ExampleShe faced great emotional stress during the divorce.She felt a lot of stress during the exam period.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 3,000 (common)Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level-A2
Part of speechnoun
Collocationsgreat emotional strain, experience great emotional stress, cope with great emotional stressconsiderable, extreme, great, level, cause, create, avoid, bring something about, bring something on, cause something, level, control, management, under stress, a source of stress, a symptom of stress, enormous, high, low, exert, set up, apply, fracture, stress on, under stress, main, major, primary, carry, have, take, fall, go, pattern, stress on, enormous, great, particular, lay, place, put, with the stress on, stress on
Antonymsemotional stability, calmness, easerelaxation, calm, peace
Common mistakesConfused with 'great emotional distress', which has a more specific meaning., Using 'stress' inaccurately with physical health instead of emotional context.Confusing 'stress' with 'stressed' (the past form), Using 'stress' as a verb incorrectly in passive voice, Mixing up 'stress' with 'anxiety' when referring specifically to external pressures
Usage notesUsed in contexts discussing mental health or personal experiences. Avoid in casual conversations.Use 'stress' when referring to mental or emotional strain. It's appropriate in both casual and professional contexts, but avoid using it in very formal writing.

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Great emotional stress
Stress

Frequently asked questions: Great emotional stress vs Stress

What's the difference between Great emotional stress and Stress?

Great emotional stress: A lot of emotional pressure or worry. Stress: a feeling of worry or pressure

Which is more common: Great emotional stress and Stress?

Stress is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Great emotional stress: She faced great emotional stress during the divorce. Stress: She felt a lot of stress during the exam period.

Can I use Great emotional stress and Stress interchangeably?

Not always. Great emotional stress and Stress are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

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