"distressing (or disturbing) news" "lived in heroic if something distressful isolation" "a disturbing amount of crime" "a revelation that was most perturbing" "a new and troubling thought" "in a particularly worrisome predicament" "a worrying situation" "a worrying time"
"my finances were in a deplorable state" "a lamentable decision" "her clothes were in sad shape" "a sorry state of affairs"