← G4728 G4730 →

στενοχωρέω

stenochōréō

G4729 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To be confined or restricted, literally to be pressed for space, or figuratively to experience distress, hardship, or severe difficulty. Primary sense is 'to press in narrowly,' with related senses including being in a state of adversity, emotional anguish, or psychological pressure. The word often conveys the sense of being constrained, whether by physical surroundings or by circumstances that cause distress or trouble.

Semantic Range

to be confined, to be pressed for space, to be in distress, to experience hardship, to be under psychological pressure, to be troubled, to be constrained

Root / Etymology

From the noun στενοχωρία (stenochōría, 'narrowness, distress'), itself from στενός ('narrow') + χωρέω ('to make space, to go, to have room'). Thus, the verb literally means 'to be in a narrow space' or 'to be made narrow.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In Hellenistic Greek and the Septuagint, στενοχωρέω most often describes situations of external hardship or oppression, as in being physically confined or beset by difficulty. In the New Testament, the term frequently appears in contexts expressing figurative distress—such as experiencing mental or emotional pressure, intense hardship, or anguish (e.g., 2 Corinthians 4:8). The connotation is often that of being pressed upon from all sides, whether by circumstances, enemies, or internal struggle. Standard English translations such as 'distress' or 'to be hard pressed' only partially capture the full nuance, which includes both physical and psychological dimensions. The verb is rare outside biblical and Jewish-Greek literature, but closely connected to στενοχωρία (distress, affliction) and related to the broader group of words expressing limitation or adversity in Greek (contrast with εὐρυχωρία, 'spaciousness, ease'). No strong theological connotations; its use is descriptive of human experience of difficulty rather than a specific religious meaning.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from the same as στενοχωρία; to hem in closely, i.e. (figuratively) cramp:--distress, straiten.

Root Family

στενοχωρέω (stenochōreō) — to press narrowly, to confine, to distress

Root στενοχωρ- to press narrowly, to confine, to distress

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G4729-01 στενοχωρεῖσθε stenochoreisthe V PRS PASS IND 2P PL are you restrained you are being confined you are being confined 2
G4729-02 στενοχωρούμενοι stenochoroumenoi V PRS PASS PTCP NOM M PL crushed being pressed in being pressed in 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G4729-02 2 Corinthians 4:8 στενοχωρούμενοι stenochoroumenoi V PRS PASS PTCP NOM M PL crushed being pressed in being pressed in
G4729-01 2 Corinthians 6:12 στενοχωρεῖσθε stenochoreisthe V PRS PASS IND 2P PL are you restrained you are being confined you are being confined
G4729-01 2 Corinthians 6:12 στενοχωρεῖσθε stenochoreisthe-2 V PRS PASS IND 2P PL are you restrained you are being confined you are being confined
← G4728 Greek Lexicon G4730 →