French Conversation · Level 3
88 words
French word
stress
Pronunciation
IPA/stʁɛs/
Meaning
- masculine nounstress
Example
Il essaie de réduire son stress en faisant du sport.
He is trying to reduce his stress by exercising.
More examples
Il ressent beaucoup de stress avant un examen.
He feels a lot of stress before an exam.
Core concept
A tightening pressure inside a person that persists while situations feel demanding or uncertain.
Common phrases
avoir du stress
have stress
réduire son stress
reduce one's stress
gérer son stress
manage one's stress
Similar words
anxiété: A lasting feeling of intense worry about future events.
tension: A state of physical or mental tightness and strain.
pression: A heavy burden caused by outside expectations or demands.
angoisse: An overwhelming fear or anxiety that feels unbearably constricting.
Definition in French
Sensation de pression intérieure, mentale ou corporelle, née de demandes, d'événements ou d'incertitudes.
Word origin
The French noun stress is a modern borrowing from English, while the English word is historically related to Old French estresse and Latin stringere.
Usage tips
- French stress is pronounced as one syllable with a French final s, while word stress is called accent tonique or accentuation.