Definition of concerningnext
as in regarding
having to do with we had a meeting with the principal today concerning the new policy on student-run organizations

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

concerning

2 of 2

verb

present participle of concern
1
2
as in affecting
to be the business or affair of the problems of air and water pollution that concern all of us

Synonyms & Similar Words

3

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of concerning
Verb
No objection was raised during the hearing concerning the manner in which the Court questioned the witness or conducted the proceedings. Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026 For Sherman, the fact that a company that largely caters to women would use ALPR technology was particularly concerning. Kara McGrath, Allure, 3 Sep. 2026 Department staff searched for the otter to assess whether the animal was still in the area or displaying any abnormal or concerning behavior, Margiott said. Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026 An email and phone call requesting comment from 7 Brew concerning the auction were not returned by Thursday afternoon. John Magsam Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 3 Sep. 2026 As someone who spends a concerning-adjacent amount of time online shopping (mostly for work, but often for pleasure), my friends and family are always asking for product recommendations—especially around big Amazon sales. Annie Blackman, InStyle, 3 Sep. 2026 Akiyama wrote numerous books concerning both his spaceflight and his experiences as a farmer and being displaced from the Fukushima Prefecture. Robert Pearlman, ArsTechnica, 2 Sep. 2026 More concerning changes include consistently struggling to recall familiar words, substituting incorrect words, losing the meaning of common words, or experiencing memory problems that are getting worse or interfering with everyday life. Allison Forsyth, HEALTH, 2 Sep. 2026 Much improved, but empty storefronts ‘still concerning’ Those who shop, live or work around the Plaza are noticing the changes. Kansas City Star, 31 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for concerning
Preposition
  • Metro Police detectives are continuing to investigate the shooting, and are in contact with the District Attorney’s Office regarding charging decisions.
    Vivian Jones, Nashville Tennessean, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Was any decision made regarding reducing Partey’s media obligations?
    James McNicholas, New York Times, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • Both books combine new, headline-generating reporting with intel Wickersham has gathered over decades covering football.
    Aaron Reiss, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
  • But since Harvey, then a senior at Oberlin College, was writing for the Oberlin Review, covering football was a rather tricky proposition.
    Jesse Dougherty, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Another complicating factor is that whatever is impacting recent college graduates also seems to be affecting young people who don’t have a degree.
    John Cassidy, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Harder to pay down debt The relentlessly high gas prices are exacerbating the affordability crisis affecting many Americans.
    Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The list of maladies bothering Ohtani is lengthy, and grew this week.
    Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Ohtani reported that the area from his biceps to his neck was bothering him Wednesday night, Roberts said.
    Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Preposition
  • The Primetimedirector and Rehearsal pilot got together to make a film about Theranos scamstress Elizabeth Holmes.
    Bethy Squires, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026
  • That should change how policymakers think about energy security.
    Nana Menya Ayensu, semafor.com, 7 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • In July, OpenAI said its models were responsible for a cyber incident on another company, while Anthropic’s Claude models were also responsible for cybersecurity incidents, including in one case where Mythos created fake identities to fool humans.
    Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Mainly based in Romania since 2017, the pair has been under investigation since December 2022 in that country for allegations including human trafficking.
    Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Folsom police said complaints involving the devices have risen sharply, particularly those involving juveniles on roads, in parks and on bike paths.
    Haley Parsley, Sacbee.com, 9 Sep. 2026
  • In Mexico, a recent wave of attacks involving drones equipped with explosives put authorities on alert.
    Sol Amaya, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Switching means learning a new interface while disturbing an entire digital environment.
    Mark Vena, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Also, the ship uses dynamic positioning in many cases versus anchoring and disturbing the ocean.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Sep. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Concerning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/concerning. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster