WORRIED Synonyms: 183 Similar and Opposite Words

worried 1 of 2

adjective

ˈwər-ēd

Definition of worried

as in upset

feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty the soldier's father had a worried expression as he listened to the news

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

worried

2 of 2

verb

past tense of worry

as in feared

to experience concern or anxiety they worried for days about whether the loan would be approved

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in alarmed

to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy those strange noises outside the house worry me

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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 worried

Adjective

Another official said their community is having difficulty finding polling locations because local schools and churches are increasingly worried about security. — Stephanie Leiser, The Conversation, 12 Aug. 2026 Joy is a little worried but says her hands are insured for up to 700,000! — Emma Soren, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026

Verb

Long-term interest rates rose after Warsh’s comments, suggesting investors worried that inflation could worsen in the coming months and the Fed might not lift borrowing costs to fight rising prices. — Christopher Rugaber, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026 Besides costs, some officials worried about technical problems. — Stephanie Leiser, The Conversation, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for worried

Recent Examples of Synonyms for worried

Adjective

Once the veteran players and most of the top seeds vanished from the Canadian Open, succumbing to injury and upset, the stakes of the tournament in Montreal took on a new edge.

— Ava Wallace, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Council member Chris Whatley said the entire council has been upset about the news of a data center, and vowed to do everything in his official capacity to protect Keller residents.

— Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of upset

Verb

Still stinging emotionally from the recording studio shooting and assault case that both happened in New York and Shakur feared were setups, Knight told Kearse a week after Shakur’s death that Tupac had more than a financial connection to Death Row.

— Andy Rose, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
Yet the broader employment outcome was less stark than feared.

— Adam Schickling, Fortune, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of feared

Verb

Terrified Jewish voters—alarmed by progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed’s anti-Zionist rhetoric—are fleeing to Republican Mike Rogers for self-preservation.

— Staff, FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2026
Beau Woods, a former adviser to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the Boeing’s Industry Cyber Technical Council, was alarmed by the findings.

— Frank Landymore, Futurism, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of alarmed

Verb

Republicans have fretted that Miller’s scandals could make the district Trump won by 11 points in 2024 vulnerable in what’s expected to be a strong year for Democrats.

— Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Other European politicians fretted about national infrastructure and defense, with one comparing the loss of Mythos to Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

— Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of fretted

Verb

Parents have been concerned about the school since the summer when executive director David Hussey and assistant principal in charge of athletics Jason Camp were ousted.

— Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026
The investment bank said that while some investors might be concerned about the company’s investment spending, such fears are overdone.

— Michael Bloom, CNBC, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of concerned

Adjective

And the more anxious students become about their career prospects, the more attractive banks and banking clubs become.

— Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
While Turkey and Pakistan, on the borders of the Middle East, have avoided significant direct attacks, both are anxious to calm conflicts that threaten their own security and economic health.

— Reuters, NBC news, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of anxious

Cite this Entry

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“Worried.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worried. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of worried

adjective

verb

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