Distraught means extremely upset and unable to think clearly because of worry, grief, or fear. When someone is distraught, they're so overwhelmed by emotion that they can barely function normally. Their distress has pushed them beyond ordinary sadness or anxiety into a state where they struggle to cope.

You might see a distraught parent searching frantically for a lost child in a crowded store, or a student becoming distraught after accidentally deleting an entire project the night before it's due. In stories, characters become distraught when they receive devastating news or face terrible situations that shake them to their core.

The word suggests a kind of emotional chaos. A distraught person might cry uncontrollably, pace back and forth, or struggle to speak in complete sentences. Their distress is visible and intense. It's stronger than simply being upset or worried: someone who's distraught has been pushed to an emotional limit.