worried

adjective

wor·​ried ˈwər-ēd How to pronounce worried (audio)
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

Examples of worried in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The captive hostages and their worried families are separated by the kind of mileage a fit person could run in an afternoon. Matthew Hennessey, WSJ, 26 Nov. 2023 The interior of the shoe is lined with a warm faux fur lining that will insulate your feet on even the coldest winter days, plus an anti-skid sole is great for even the clumsiest travelers who are worried about slipping on slick ground this winter. Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 25 Nov. 2023 But Sandy says in the days leading up to his death Stephen was worried about his safety. Nikki Battiste, CBS News, 25 Nov. 2023 The project’s backers appear to be worried about the economic atrophy that could take place without safe passage. Mary Ilyushina, Washington Post, 24 Nov. 2023 Trish is worried, however, if being pregnant will affect their chances of being cast in The White Lotus. Vulture, 22 Nov. 2023 Instead, some Black leaders are worried that voters in their communities won’t vote at all. Alexandra Marquez, NBC News, 21 Nov. 2023 Only about three in 10 people are worried about spreading COVID to friends and family over the holidays or becoming seriously sick from the virus. Angelica Stabile, Fox News, 21 Nov. 2023 The following morning, after Mallory’s car sat alone in the lot for a few hours, the deli owner became worried and called the police. Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 20 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'worried.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1624, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of worried was in 1624

Dictionary Entries Near worried

Cite this Entry

“Worried.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/worried. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.

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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