1
as in fretting
to experience concern or anxiety
they worried for days about whether the loan would be approved
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bothering
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
those strange noises outside the house worry me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 worrying
UConn has nothing left to prove, so Auriemma sees no value in wasting energy worrying about where his team is going to land when the bracket goes live on Selection Sunday.
—
Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 9 Mar. 2026
These figures are worrying on multiple levels.
—Daniel Weiner, Time, 9 Mar. 2026
Enjoy the fun, short hemlines of this ultra mini skirt without worrying about a wardrobe malfunction, thanks to the interior shorts.
—Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2026
Nothing’s worse than worrying about an overly revealing neckline or an itchy zipper midway through dinner.
—Malia Griggs, Glamour, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for worrying
Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 9 Mar. 2026
These figures are worrying on multiple levels.
—Daniel Weiner, Time, 9 Mar. 2026
Enjoy the fun, short hemlines of this ultra mini skirt without worrying about a wardrobe malfunction, thanks to the interior shorts.
—Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2026
Nothing’s worse than worrying about an overly revealing neckline or an itchy zipper midway through dinner.
—Malia Griggs, Glamour, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for worrying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for worrying
Verb
-
But some drivers, passengers and ride-hailing companies are already fretting the prospect of pricier rides.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Older white-collar workers are fretting about their long-term job security in the face of ever-capable generative AI tools and recent layoffs from corporations such as Amazon and Block that have cited AI.—
Megan Cerullo,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Mass incarceration has led to a fast-growing bloc of citizens who either are legally barred from voting or have just stopped bothering.—
Kevin B. Smith,
The Conversation,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Stop bothering me with things that don’t make sense.—
Nick Canepa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Apply the rule of one-third when mowing to prevent stressing the existing grass.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Saudi Arabia has stepped up direct engagement with Iran to try and contain a war in the Middle East that is causing havoc and stressing global markets, according to several European officials.—
Donato Paolo Mancini,
Fortune,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Midway through my massage, the boat unmoored itself and set sail—setting off an initially alarming vibrating bed and whirring engine noise.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Recently, something new appeared on the landscape, alarming wildlife advocates like Christina Aiello.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Tehran has effectively blocked the waterway since the start of the war nearly two weeks ago, sending oil prices surging as ships fearing attack can’t get through.—
Ellen Mitchell,
The Hill,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Republicans are wary of accepting an extension of all of DHS except Border Patrol and ICE, fearing that funding packages for those agencies will never reach completion due to their narrow Senate majority.—
Garrett Downs,
CNBC,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Shuttle buses often pause to allow passengers to observe animals without disturbing them.—
Karthika Gupta,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Mar. 2026
-
According to investigators, multiple officers were called to the gas station after reports of an intoxicated man who was disturbing customers.—
Dan Raby,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Republican leaders are sweating the prospect of 12 weeks of brutal intraparty attacks in a runoff between the incumbent Cornyn and state attorney general Ken Paxton.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Drinking too much plain water when sweating very heavily can dilute the salt in your body even further, throwing things out of balance.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Also, higher oil prices mean more income for Russia, and the war in Iran is distracting the world from Putin’s war in Ukraine.—
Tom Zirpoli,
Baltimore Sun,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Additional creature comforts also can be nice but distracting.—
Metro Creative Services,
Boston Herald,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Worrying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worrying. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
