worrying

adjective

wor·​ry·​ing ˈwər-ē-iŋ 

ˈwə-rē-

: causing worry : creating reason for worry : troubling

a worrying trend/development

a worrying question

The presence of the knife on the stage of the murder was a worrying circumstance for Wilson.

—Mark Twain

worryingly adverb

When the secretary returned, she handed us an envelope that looked worryingly official …

—Caroline Alexander

… money held by households has risen at a worryingly slow rate over the past year …

—The Economist

Examples of worrying in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

No more worrying about whether my teeth are wine-stained at dinner and no reason to feel guilty about that second (or third) espresso hit. —Grace McCarty, Glamour, 18 Mar. 2026

So, anyone who maintained a diversified portfolio during those periods may have seen some worrying drops in their holdings in the short run, but benefited soon after. —Jeanne Sahadi, CNN Money, 13 Mar. 2026

His sides were known for their attacking prowess, but for the Lions, the worrying fact is that his teams also struggled defensively. —Kyle Foley, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Mar. 2026

That being said, raising safety concerns is a worrying thing to hear from the drivers. —Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for worrying

• currying
• hurrying
• scurrying