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 Nature has made this a necessity: Without constant care and solicitude, an infant will die. Roxana Robinson, TIME, 18 July 2024 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 That’s surely what accounts for the solicitude that the cryptocurrency industry has been receiving from Congress. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 24 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
  • And Danielson noted that the team now has plenty of time to practice and give attention to areas of concern.
    Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 9 Sep. 2025
  • At the same time, concern is growing about how certain food additives and preservatives may disrupt the gut’s delicate balance.
    Abby Norman, Verywell Health, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • But all friends need to be honest with each other, to tell each other home truths when it’s needed, to confront those awkward moments without fear of the reaction.
    Steve Sedgwick, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Two key points in the case were that board members who personally opposed the books took the action against the input of an advisory committee, and that the board members' action was based on speculative, not actual, fears of disruption.
    Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • He's spent 20 years repaying this debt kindness.
    Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, 2 Sep. 2025
  • We are all moved by her kindness and gratefulness in the midst of pain.
    Kayla Grant, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • At the council meeting for the resolution, several migrants and their families spoke in favor of its passage, expressing their anxieties in day-to-day life, according to The Chronicle.
    Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2025
  • The starting point is learning to cultivate present-moment awareness and simply noticing your anxiety.
    Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • This number varies by age and location, but in the instance that private child care providers can receive $10,000 through the ESA program, that means the majority of tuition could be covered for families considering this option.
    Lina Ruiz September 8, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Available in 9 different colors, the hanging organizer has four different zippered compartments roomy enough to hold full-size hair care products, brushes, combs, and more.
    Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The prospect of governments being ousted in Tokyo and Paris fueled further uncertainty, while investors voiced worry over expansive deficit spending in London and Berlin.
    Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 7 Sep. 2025
  • My worry is that inaction is not a strategy.
    Shivaram Rajgopal, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The brief spasm, though, betrays an unease in the incredibly slim majority Johnson controls and the volatility in his base.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 8 Sep. 2025
  • That sense of unease has grown more in recent years, as shifting immigration policies fuel confusion about what protections still exist.
    David Rodriguez Muñoz, Freep.com, 7 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Solicitude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/solicitude. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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