Definition
A condition of being threatened by serious and/or imminent danger and of requiring immediate assistance.
Plain English
You are in serious, immediate danger and need help right now.
Context Anchor
Used in emergency communications, especially when deciding whether a situation calls for an immediate emergency radio call.
Derivation
From the Old French 'destresse,' meaning extreme suffering or constraint, ultimately from the Latin 'districtus' (drawn apart, hindered). The aviation use keeps the sense of being trapped in a situation you cannot resolve alone.
Why Pilots Care
Proper use distinguishes a distress call from an urgency call, triggering the highest ATC priority and possible search-and-rescue activation.
Intuition Check
Distress does not just mean feeling worried or upset here. In aviation, it means serious, immediate danger that requires help now.
Example Sentence 1
After the engine failure over mountainous terrain, the pilot declared distress and transmitted MAYDAY on the emergency frequency.
Example Sentence 2
Once a distress condition is declared, all other traffic yields priority to the affected aircraft.