worried

1 of 2

adjective

wor·​ried ˈwər-ēd 

ˈwə-rēd

: 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

worried

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of worry entry 1

Synonyms of worried

Adjective

• upset
• nervous
• anxious
• uneasy
• troubled
• apprehensive
• concerned

Examples of worried in a Sentence

Adjective

the soldier's father had a worried expression as he listened to the news

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Opposition to the facilities mounted swiftly over the summer as Americans grew worried about their potential to harm the environment, raise utility bills and contribute to job loss. — Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2026

Investors are worried that the political shift in Congress could slow the buildout of data centers that power AI, potentially throttling one of the economy's main growth engines. — Senior Business, CBS News, 6 Nov. 2026

Because that’s the other thing people were really worried about — how much money Elon Musk was pouring into Texas. — Cameron Peters, Vox, 4 Nov. 2026

Maybe that sounds counterintuitive to folks worried about how the Bears are going to supply their roster with high-end talent in the next couple of years, and there will be a host of needs on defense alone. — Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 3 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1624, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for worried

• curried
• flurried
• hurried
• scurried
• unburied
• unhurried

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