stressor
noun
stress·or ˈstre-sər 
-ˌsȯr
: a stimulus that causes stress
Example Sentences
Credit card debt is a major stressor in her life.
Recent Examples on the Web According to the Holmes-Rahe Stress Scale, divorce is the second highest stressor for people, second only to the death of a loved one. 
Holly Eve, Forbes, 11 Aug. 2022 But there is something that comes before it—the thing or event that causes the stress in the first place, a stressor. Cheria Young, Forbes, 8 June 2022 The hair loss that’s seen post-COVID-19 is usually telogen effluvium, a condition in which hair sheds in response to a stressor. Melanie Rud, SELF, 26 May 2022 Half said housing costs are a significant stressor. Andrea Petersen, WSJ, 2 Aug. 2022 Earlier this year, according to the news release, officials at Sacramento State noted that 59 percent of students surveyed through SWISS identified mental health issues as a top stressor, along with a need for academic support. al, 14 July 2022 Of course, experts say, there's an additional (and obvious) stressor for many: an ongoing pandemic that continues to test our capacity for grief and affect our daily lives. Nikki Brown, PEOPLE.com, 9 June 2022 No incident of suicide during the last two months has officially been attributed to the policy and experts warn that ending one’s own life is rarely caused by a single stressor. Christian Shepherd, Washington Post, 19 May 2022 Work can be a stressor for us all, and for transgender individuals, this can come with the additional burden of having to suppress their gender identity to conform to societal norms. Katie Lynch, Forbes, 12 July 2022 See More
Holly Eve, Forbes, 11 Aug. 2022 But there is something that comes before it—the thing or event that causes the stress in the first place, a stressor. Cheria Young, Forbes, 8 June 2022 The hair loss that’s seen post-COVID-19 is usually telogen effluvium, a condition in which hair sheds in response to a stressor. Melanie Rud, SELF, 26 May 2022 Half said housing costs are a significant stressor. Andrea Petersen, WSJ, 2 Aug. 2022 Earlier this year, according to the news release, officials at Sacramento State noted that 59 percent of students surveyed through SWISS identified mental health issues as a top stressor, along with a need for academic support. al, 14 July 2022 Of course, experts say, there's an additional (and obvious) stressor for many: an ongoing pandemic that continues to test our capacity for grief and affect our daily lives. Nikki Brown, PEOPLE.com, 9 June 2022 No incident of suicide during the last two months has officially been attributed to the policy and experts warn that ending one’s own life is rarely caused by a single stressor. Christian Shepherd, Washington Post, 19 May 2022 Work can be a stressor for us all, and for transgender individuals, this can come with the additional burden of having to suppress their gender identity to conform to societal norms. Katie Lynch, Forbes, 12 July 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1950, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
stressor
noun
stress·or ˈstres-ər -ˌȯ(ə)r
-ˌȯ(ə)r : a stimulus that causes stress
psychological stressors