worried

adjective

wor·​ried ˈwər-ēd How to pronounce worried (audio)
ˈwə-rēd
Synonyms of worriednext
: mentally troubled or concerned : feeling or showing concern or anxiety about what is happening or might happen
worried parents
a worried frown
I'm not too worried about the weather.
He was worried sick. [=extremely worried]
But the technological intrusion of prenatal testing leaves expectant parents more worried than reassured.Ronni Sandroff
There was an ominous and worried expression on their faces.Jack London
… his mother was so worried she sent for the doctor.E. B. White
worriedly adverb
"Well, what did you think when you heard the news?" Jimmy asked us worriedly. Bobbie Ann Mason
… Roy thought it was from a snakebite, and worriedly glanced around. Carl Hiaasen

Examples of worried in a Sentence

the soldier's father had a worried expression as he listened to the news
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Some suggested re-purposing the building, while some homeowners are worried about what new condos would mean for their privacy. Noel Brennan, CBS News, 13 Jan. 2026 But before the multi-billion-dollar overhaul of the highway, the city had 900 parking spaces in the space under the hulking highway, and some worried eliminating all parking under I-4 would drive away visitors. Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 Jan. 2026 Laura is suspicious about Cherry's mysterious past, while Cherry is worried about Laura's manipulative tendencies. Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026 The unions are also worried that that administration plan to allow tokenization of financial products could handicap the SEC’s authority to regulate securities, which would also create new risks for Americans’ retirement savings and investments. Talia Kaplan,eric Rosenbaum, CNBC, 12 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for worried

Word History

First Known Use

1624, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of worried was in 1624

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Worried.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/worried. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

worried

adjective
wor·​ried
ˈwər-ēd
ˈwə-rēd
: having worries : marked by or showing worry
very worried about the test
a worried look
worriedly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on worried

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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