worrisome

adjective

wor·​ri·​some ˈwər-ē-səm 

ˈwə-rē-

1

: causing distress or worry

worrisome news

2

: inclined to worry or fret

investors feeling worrisome

worrisomely adverb

worrisomeness noun

Synonyms of worrisome

• disturbing
• unsettling
• troubling
• frightening

Examples of worrisome in a Sentence

There is the worrisome possibility of hurricane damage on the coast.

the patient's erratic behavior has become increasingly worrisome

Recent Examples on the Web

That number is quite low, Topaz and others said, but more worrisome is the fact that hallucinated citations are becoming more common. —Anil Oza, STAT, 7 May 2026

This is very bad and very worrisome. —Peter D'oench, CBS News, 5 May 2026

Six former central bank leaders told CNBC that Warsh’s comments during his Senate confirmation hearing last week were unclear and confusing at best, and worrisome at worst. —Alex Harring, CNBC, 4 May 2026

Throw in that Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner was covering second base as Diamondbacks right fielder Corbin Carroll attempted to swipe the bag, and that 90-foot popup, per Statcast, became a worrisome moment. —Andy Martinez, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

worrisome

adjective

wor·​ri·​some ˈwər-ē-səm 

ˈwə-rē-

1

: causing worry

worrisome news

2

: given to worrying

worrisome parents