distress signal

noun

An emergency signal sent by radio (or other means) from a ship or aircraft in distress or danger.

Similar
distress call
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Meanings

noundistress signal (plural distress signals)

plural distress signals

  1. An emergency signal sent by radio (or other means) from a ship or aircraft in distress or danger.

    Synonyms: distress call

  2. figurativelyAn indication of distress.

    This was a performance from Maguire that was sending out distress signals from pretty much the first whistle. The control was poor, the discipline was worse, even the simplest of tasks - a pass, a clearance - looked an almighty struggle.

    2020 October 14, Phil McNulty, “England 0-1 Denmark: 'Harry Maguire looked devoid of confidence in Nations League loss'”, in BBC Sport

    Synonyms: distress call

Synonyms & antonyms

nounAn emergency signal sent by radio (or other means) from a ship or aircraft in distress or danger.

Similar
distress call

nounAn indication of distress.

Similar
distress call

More synonyms by meaning

nounan internationally recognized signal sent out by a ship or plane indicating that help is needed

Similar
distress call
Broader
signalsignalingsign
Also see
distress call

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 求救信號 /求救信号
  • 求救信號 /求救信号 (qiújiù xìnhào)emergency signal
Danish nødsignal, alarmsignal
  • nødsignalemergency signal
  • alarmsignalemergency signal
  • nødråbemergency signal
Estonian hädasignaal
  • hädasignaalemergency signal
Finnish hätämerkki
  • hätämerkkiemergency signal
French signal de détresse
  • signal de détresseemergency signal
German Notsignal
  • Notsignalemergency signal
Hungarian vészjelzés
  • vészjelzésemergency signal
Italian segnale di pericolo
  • segnale di pericoloemergency signal
Japanese 救助信号
  • 救助信号 (kyūjoshingō)emergency signal
Norwegian Bokmål nødsignal
  • nødsignalemergency signal
Polish wzywanie pomocy, wzywanie ratunku
  • wzywanie pomocyemergency signal
  • wzywanie ratunkuemergency signal
Russian сигна́л бе́дствия
  • сигна́л бе́дствия (signál bédstvija)emergency signal
Cite this entry
APA

distress signal. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/distress%20signal

MLA

“distress signal.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/distress%20signal. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “distress signal,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/distress%20signal.

Source: distress signal on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.