worrying

adjective

wor·​ry·​ing ˈwər-ē-iŋ How to pronounce worrying (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Good to know, since Cubs fans aren’t the worrying types. Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2025 But in the United States, loving cute objects has historically been written off as escapism at best and a worrying swing toward infancy at worst. Valerie Trapp, The Atlantic, 4 Aug. 2025 Markets have been resilient Amid the worrying economic signs, stocks have fallen though not dramatically. Jeff Cox, CNBC, 4 Aug. 2025 There are traditions in Ireland where everyone gets up and sings without being overly self-conscious or worrying. Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 16 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for worrying

Word History

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of worrying was in 1817

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Cite this Entry

“Worrying.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/worrying. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.

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