It's deep in distress notwithstanding (7)
I believe the answer is:
despite
'notwithstanding' is the definition.
(notwithstanding means despite or nevertheless)
'it's deep in distress' is the wordplay.
'in distress' indicates an anagram.
'its'+'deep'='itsdeep'
'itsdeep' is an anagram of 'DESPITE'.
(Other definitions for despite that I've seen before include "Undeterred" , "Notwithstanding" , "In the face" , "Regardless of, in defiance of" , "Without being affected by; contempt" .)