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

The United States finds itself in a profoundly worrying strategic position. —Edward Fishman, Time, 21 Nov. 2025

And after losing a job, Black women tend to remain unemployed for longer than other workers — a worrying trend that dates back to the Great Recession. —Ebonie Walker, Refinery29, 14 Nov. 2025

The mom said that the situation was made all the more worrying given that her son is nonverbal. —Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025

Fiery press conferences, frustration over a lack of signings, and a glum touchline demeanour paint a worrying picture. —Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for worrying

• currying
• hurrying
• scurrying