SOLICITUDE Synonyms: 95 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'solicitude' distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of solicitude are anxiety , care , concern , and worry . While all these words mean "a troubled or engrossed state of mind or the thing that causes this," solicitude implies great concern and connotes either thoughtful or hovering attentiveness toward another. // acted with typical maternal solicitude

Q: When could 'anxiety' be used to replace 'solicitude'?

Although the words anxiety and solicitude have much in common, anxiety stresses anguished uncertainty or fear of misfortune or failure. // plagued by anxiety and self-doubt

Q: In what contexts can 'care' take the place of 'solicitude'?

The words care and solicitude can be used in similar contexts, but care implies oppression of the mind weighed down by responsibility or disquieted by apprehension. // a face worn by years of care

Q: When can 'concern' be used instead of 'solicitude'?

The words concern and solicitude are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, concern implies a troubled state of mind because of personal interest, relation, or affection. // crimes caused concern in the neighborhood

Q: When is it sensible to use 'worry' instead of 'solicitude'?

The meanings of worry and solicitude largely overlap; however, worry suggests fretting over matters that may or may not be real cause for anxiety. // financial worries

solicitude

noun

sə-ˈli-sə-ˌtüd

Definition of solicitude

as in concern

an uneasy state of mind usually over the possibility of an anticipated misfortune or trouble a growing solicitude over the possible results of the criminal investigation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in carefulness

attention accompanied by protectiveness and responsibility she shows much more solicitude toward her aging parents than any of her siblings do

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word solicitude distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of solicitude are anxiety, care, concern, and worry. While all these words mean "a troubled or engrossed state of mind or the thing that causes this," solicitude implies great concern and connotes either thoughtful or hovering attentiveness toward another.

acted with typical maternal solicitude

When could anxiety be used to replace solicitude?

Although the words anxiety and solicitude have much in common, anxiety stresses anguished uncertainty or fear of misfortune or failure.

plagued by anxiety and self-doubt

In what contexts can care take the place of solicitude?

The words care and solicitude can be used in similar contexts, but care implies oppression of the mind weighed down by responsibility or disquieted by apprehension.

a face worn by years of care

When can concern be used instead of solicitude?

The words concern and solicitude are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, concern implies a troubled state of mind because of personal interest, relation, or affection.

crimes caused concern in the neighborhood

When is it sensible to use worry instead of solicitude?

The meanings of worry and solicitude largely overlap; however, worry suggests fretting over matters that may or may not be real cause for anxiety.

financial worries

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 solicitude At first idly, then with what appears to be solicitude, and finally with the glee of a cat cornering a mouse before killing it, Gustav pokes into Adi’s professional failures, connecting them to Tekla’s galling success. — Jesse Green, New York Times, 19 May 2025 The evocation of the boy’s impure actions, as well as the undertow of sexuality in both his parish priest’s solicitude and his father’s violence, caught the attention of the censors, who typically busied themselves outlawing pulp erotica. — Sam Sacks, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025 This idea will add the inducements of philanthropy to those of patriotism, to heighten the solicitude which all considerate and good men must feel for the event. — Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 30 May 2024 Realistically, however, Mexico faces a tough fight in a Supreme Court that’s shown a great deal of solicitude for the gun industry — even in cases that don’t involve a federal statute that protects gun companies from liability. — Ian Millhiser, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018 See All Example Sentences for solicitude

Recent Examples of Synonyms for solicitude

Noun

Plan for the content of the meeting, including the objections, concerns and reservations people may bring.

— Inga Bielińska, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2026
Sure, Mahomes did enough Monday night to dispel any concerns about a drop-off in his game.

— Mike Jones, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of concern

Noun

Experts say cartels use car bombs to intimidate rivals and authorities, pressure the government and spread fear among civilians.

— María Verza, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026
At each turn, a heartbreaking picture comes into sharper focus, underscoring Ricki’s destructive appetite that exploits Rita’s deepest needs and fears under the guise of friendship and no-judgement sisterhood.

— Tomris Laffly, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of fear

Noun

Following her death, Eloise’s family established the Living for Lulu Foundation to continue her legacy by encouraging kindness and helping animals in need.

— Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
My mother, Cynthia, taught me to go through life with both relentless ambition and kindness.

— Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of kindness

Noun

The background of the film is the budget slashes that are happening in this sector all over the Western world, as the government withdraws its own form of care.

— Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
As the trend scales, expect a wave of clinician response videos and possibly product warnings from foot-care brands.

— Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of care

Noun

For Villa, there were mitigating circumstances in this latest defeat by Glasner, yet the worry is they are still being caught with the same punches.

— Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Similar economic stressors like finding a new job if they get laid off, employer reductions of healthcare or retirement benefits, or simply not advancing in their career at pace significantly outrank worries about the impact of AI.

— Stacey Zolt Hara, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of worry

Noun

Her government was also the first led by a party with neo-fascist roots, and European allies and financial markets viewed her with unease.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
The rise in bond yields is a global phenomenon, rooted in investors’ unease over unchecked government spending and intensified by bets that central banks may keep interest rates higher for longer.

— John Towfighi, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of unease

Browse Nearby Words

solicits

solicitude

solid

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Solicitude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/solicitude. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of solicitude

noun

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

aggrandize

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Popular in Wordplay

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 18

Popular

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Games & Quizzes