care 1 of 2

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as in concern
attention accompanied by protectiveness and responsibility that's an extremely valuable violin, so handle it with care

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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as in custody
responsibility for the safety and well-being of someone or something while you're under my care, you'll do as you're told

Synonyms & Similar Words

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care

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verb

as in to watch
to have an interest or concern for a teacher who cares what happens to her students long after they leave her classroom

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word care distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of care are anxiety, concern, solicitude, and worry. While all these words mean "a troubled or engrossed state of mind or the thing that causes this," care implies oppression of the mind weighed down by responsibility or disquieted by apprehension.

a face worn by years of care

When can anxiety be used instead of care?

The meanings of anxiety and care largely overlap; however, anxiety stresses anguished uncertainty or fear of misfortune or failure.

plagued by anxiety and self-doubt

When might concern be a better fit than care?

While in some cases nearly identical to care, concern implies a troubled state of mind because of personal interest, relation, or affection.

crimes caused concern in the neighborhood

When would solicitude be a good substitute for care?

Although the words solicitude and care have much in common, solicitude implies great concern and connotes either thoughtful or hovering attentiveness toward another.

acted with typical maternal solicitude

Where would worry be a reasonable alternative to care?

The words worry and care are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, worry suggests fretting over matters that may or may not be real cause for anxiety.

financial worries

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of care
Noun
The Zegna customer chooses his acquisitions with care, and the same can be said of Sartori and his collaborators, many of whom have been in his circle for a decade or more. Naomi Rougeau, Robb Report, 13 Sep. 2025 The animation is flawless and the voice cast, including Dom DeLuise and Derek Jacobi, is note-perfect, but NIMH is most notable for its skillful blend of adventure yarn and emotional family drama, a combination rendered with expert care. Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Verb
This failure to care is a feature, not a bug, of the major political parties. Kimberly Ross, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025 Charlie Kirk, offering Sandmann encouragement and reassuring him that people cared about him and the truth. Jolene Almendarez, Cincinnati Enquirer, 12 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for care
Recent Examples of Synonyms for care
Noun
  • While the 77th Annual Emmy Awards embraced nostalgia with attention to classics like The Golden Girls and Gilmore Girls, it was once again dominated by streaming giants breaking records and reshaping the industry.
    Marc Berman, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Engravings on the bullets caught the agents’ attention.
    Rick Jervis, USA Today, 14 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The vote to approve Miran’s nomination passed 48-47, along party lines, with Democrats expressing concern about the appointment impacting the central bank’s independence.
    Siladitya Ray, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Motiva is helping to eliminate this concern.
    Megan McIntyre, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The worry is that these aren’t simple, one-off glitches, but systemic flaws with the way that generative tools are designed and built, and a lack of accountability for the behavior of AI algorithms.
    Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Taxes at that level were essentially a blockade on commerce between the world's two largest economies, causing worries about global growth that led to negotiations that ratcheted down the tariffs being levied by both nations.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The platform confirmed reports that Robinson had posted messages to a Discord chat two hours before being taken into custody.
    Connor Greene, Time, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Robinson remains in custody and is scheduled for a virtual court hearing later today.
    Amanda Castro Hannah Parry Joshua Rhett Miller, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Gorman, however, said she is not swayed by claims of environmental stewardship, pointing to the irony of altering Mars’ atmosphere to better suit humans.
    Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Throughout this transition, CPB’s Board and management remain committed to our stewardship mission.
    Michael Schneider, Variety, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • So, an important part of MASH management is managing your weight.
    Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
  • According to a post on the LBC Facebook page, management is still in the process of fully realizing its plans for the Milwaukee site.
    Angelika Ytuarte, jsonline.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Then, watch as your greasy roots—and the product itself—disappear.
    Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
  • So, now going to the club with records playing, playing for kids that were not alive when some of these songs came out and watching a really great young DJ like Cosmo play this music from the same era with her own slant on it.
    Steve Baltin, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • At the same time, Iranian diplomats urged caution.
    Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Objects that are outdoors should be secured and caution should be taken if driving.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 15 Sep. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Care.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/care. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

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