stressant
/stʁɛ.sɑ̃/
The English phrase 'stressful' is translated into French as stressant.
stressant is used to describe something that is irritating or causing stress.
Meaning: irritating, causing stress (adj)
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish between the cause and the feeling. Use stressant to describe the cause of stress (a stressful job), but use stressé to describe a person feeling the stress (a stressed person).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Québécois French, the phrase c'est fatigant can be used to convey a meaning similar to stressful.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective changes form depending on the gender and number of the noun it describes: stressante is the feminine form, stressants is the masculine plural form and stressantes is the feminine plural form.
How do you pronounce it?
stressant is pronounced /stʁɛ.sɑ̃/ and consists of two syllables.
Did you know?
- In some formal contexts, using stressant might be seen as an anglicism, as traditionalists prefer terms like anxiogène to describe something that induces anxiety or stress.
- To describe a stressful moment of high tension, French speakers might use the word tendu, which literally means 'stretched' or 'tense'.
- The word stressant is a relatively recent addition to the French language, arriving primarily through the influence of English in the 20th century.
Examples in context
- C'était un jour stressant.It was a stressful day.This sentence shows how to use stressant to describe a day.Tatoeba #6167098 by Aiji, translation #5012670 by CK
- J'ai un boulot très stressant.I have a very stressful job.This sentence shows how to use stressant to describe a job.Tatoeba #12335510 by lbdx, translation #6665565 by CK
- C'est une situation stressante.This is a stressful situation.This sentence shows how to use stressant to describe a situation.Tatoeba #1100088 by sacredceltic, translation #1096339 by CK
- La réunion était très stressante.The meeting was very stressful.
- Ce projet est vraiment éprouvant pour toute l'équipe.This project is really stressful for the entire team.
- J'ai passé une journée galère au travail.I had a stressful day at work.
- Les embouteillages sont une véritable prise de tête.Traffic jams are really stressful.
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Hugo are talking about their current living situation.
- HugoVivre ici est très stressant pour moi.Living here is very stressful for me.
- EmmaJe comprends, Hugo, c'est difficile.I understand, Hugo, it is difficult.
- HugoTu trouves cela stressant aussi ?Do you find it stressful too?
- EmmaOui, l'environnement est stressant.Yes, the environment is stressful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “stressful” translations and entries stressant, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
