Plants face various adverse growth conditions such as drought, salinity, and extreme temperatures, which can delay growth, reduce productivity, and even cause plant death. These stresses trigger dynamic responses involving complex cross-talk between different regulatory levels, including metabolic adjustments and gene expression for physiological and morphological adaptation. This review summarizes the metabolic regulation in response to drought, extreme temperature, and salinity stress, and presents the signaling events involved in mediating stress-induced metabolic changes. Key metabolites and pathways that contribute to stress tolerance include amino acids, proline, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), polyamines, glycine betaine, carbohydrates (starch, fructans, sugars, and polyols), and polyols. For example, amino acid accumulation is observed in many stressed plants, possibly due to both production and enhanced protein breakdown. Proline, a key osmolyte, is crucial for stress tolerance and is regulated by various protein kinases and transcription factors. GABA accumulation is associated with carbon-nitrogen balance and ROS scavenging. Polyamines, such as putrescine, spermidine, and spermine, protect membranes and alleviate oxidative stress. Glycine betaine, a quaternary ammonium compound, is synthesized from choline and glycine and enhances stress tolerance in some plants. Carbohydrates like starch, fructans, and sugars play vital roles in osmotic adjustment and maintaining cell turgor. Trehalose, a non-reducing disaccharide, stabilizes proteins and membranes. Raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFOs) accumulate in response to stress and are involved in membrane protection and radical scavenging. Polyols like mannitol and sorbitol also contribute to stress tolerance by scavenging hydroxyl radicals and stabilizing macromolecules. The metabolic response to stress is complex and multifaceted, influenced by the type and strength of stress, as well as the plant species and cultivar. Signal transduction networks, including ABA, protein kinases, and transcription factors, play crucial roles in regulating these metabolic adjustments. For instance, ABA is an integral regulator of abiotic stress signaling, and several protein kinases and transcription factors, such as CBF/DREB1 proteins and heat shock transcription factors (HSFs), modulate stress-related metabolite levels. In conclusion, the importance of metabolic adjustments in response to adverse growth conditions has been increasingly recognized. Understanding the role of different metabolites and pathways in stress tolerance is essential for improving plant stress resistance and productivity in changing environments. Further research is needed to elucidate the dynamic metabolic networks and the signaling processes involved in maintaining cellular homeostasis under stress conditions.Plants face various adverse growth conditions such as drought, salinity, and extreme temperatures, which can delay growth, reduce productivity, and even cause plant death. These stresses trigger dynamic responses involving complex cross-talk between different regulatory levels, including metabolic adjustments and gene expression for physiological and morphological adaptation. This review summarizes the metabolic regulation in response to drought, extreme temperature, and salinity stress, and presents the signaling events involved in mediating stress-induced metabolic changes. Key metabolites and pathways that contribute to stress tolerance include amino acids, proline, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), polyamines, glycine betaine, carbohydrates (starch, fructans, sugars, and polyols), and polyols. For example, amino acid accumulation is observed in many stressed plants, possibly due to both production and enhanced protein breakdown. Proline, a key osmolyte, is crucial for stress tolerance and is regulated by various protein kinases and transcription factors. GABA accumulation is associated with carbon-nitrogen balance and ROS scavenging. Polyamines, such as putrescine, spermidine, and spermine, protect membranes and alleviate oxidative stress. Glycine betaine, a quaternary ammonium compound, is synthesized from choline and glycine and enhances stress tolerance in some plants. Carbohydrates like starch, fructans, and sugars play vital roles in osmotic adjustment and maintaining cell turgor. Trehalose, a non-reducing disaccharide, stabilizes proteins and membranes. Raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFOs) accumulate in response to stress and are involved in membrane protection and radical scavenging. Polyols like mannitol and sorbitol also contribute to stress tolerance by scavenging hydroxyl radicals and stabilizing macromolecules. The metabolic response to stress is complex and multifaceted, influenced by the type and strength of stress, as well as the plant species and cultivar. Signal transduction networks, including ABA, protein kinases, and transcription factors, play crucial roles in regulating these metabolic adjustments. For instance, ABA is an integral regulator of abiotic stress signaling, and several protein kinases and transcription factors, such as CBF/DREB1 proteins and heat shock transcription factors (HSFs), modulate stress-related metabolite levels. In conclusion, the importance of metabolic adjustments in response to adverse growth conditions has been increasingly recognized. Understanding the role of different metabolites and pathways in stress tolerance is essential for improving plant stress resistance and productivity in changing environments. Further research is needed to elucidate the dynamic metabolic networks and the signaling processes involved in maintaining cellular homeostasis under stress conditions.