1
as in fretting
to experience concern or anxiety
they worried for days about whether the loan would be approved
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Recent Examples of worrying
Why are CEOs worrying so much about what recently were science projects within the deep recesses of their organizations?
—
Joe McKendrick, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
On January 13, she was told that tests were showing worrying fetal activity.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 24 Jan. 2026
There’s an absent father and a clueless, neglectful mother but the five Gilbert children — Lydia, Hugo, Annabel, Jeremy and Rosalind — are essentially raising themselves in an English country house of secret passages and worrying infestations.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 23 Jan. 2026
Instead of worrying about learning everything about sheep, swine, alpacas, bison, or goats, focus on cattle, the true stars of the stock show.
—Sara Hansen, Denver Post, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for worrying
Joe McKendrick, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
On January 13, she was told that tests were showing worrying fetal activity.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 24 Jan. 2026
There’s an absent father and a clueless, neglectful mother but the five Gilbert children — Lydia, Hugo, Annabel, Jeremy and Rosalind — are essentially raising themselves in an English country house of secret passages and worrying infestations.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 23 Jan. 2026
Instead of worrying about learning everything about sheep, swine, alpacas, bison, or goats, focus on cattle, the true stars of the stock show.
—Sara Hansen, Denver Post, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for worrying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for worrying
Verb
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Many pro-Trump TV shows, podcasters and commentators are defaulting to a defense of law enforcement — but fretting about how the wider public is reacting to the violent imagery from Minnesota.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
26 Jan. 2026
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But workers should adjust their expectations and recognize that some companies aren’t fretting about whether or not their employees can adapt to AI.—
Kevin Oakes,
Fortune,
17 Dec. 2025
Verb
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If your knee is bothering you, for instance, the vibration might distract your brain enough for the pain to temporarily retreat.—
Jennifer Heimlich,
Time,
23 Jan. 2026
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Is a man bothering you at a bar?—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The changes are affecting routes to Israel, parts of the GCC, and Jordan, with airlines stressing that the measures are precautionary and subject to constant operational review.—
Hana Al-Khodairi,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 Jan. 2026
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In both instances, Copenhagen and the Greenlandic government in its capital Nuuk responded by expressing openness to further collaboration, stressing the importance of sovereignty and dispatching a high-level delegation for talks in Washington.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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After her husband took her pets out of the room, Bloor then faced the even more delicate task of safely removing herself from the bed without alarming the snake.—
Phil Boucher,
PEOPLE,
16 Jan. 2026
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While a small sample size, the historical record for what happens after the S & P 500 has a down month after a seven-month win streak is more reassuring than alarming for the near term.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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After diversifying into producing miscellaneous goods as well as accessories, the company struggled to find a successor, fearing that a new leader from within the industry would completely change its ways of doing business, which were based on paperwork processes.—
Japan Contributor,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
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Florida school districts have seen dwindling enrollment since 2024, owing, in part, to immigrants leaving the state or fearing being detained by ICE.—
Edwidge Danticat,
New Yorker,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Stress from disturbing events can drain a person’s cognitive bandwidth, even if output expectations remain the same.—
Paula Davis,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
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This combination of sensors supports reliable sleep tracking without disturbing your night.—
Sleepal,
New York Daily News,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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That didn’t mean Valerie Bradley was sweating Honnold’s date with Netflix and a Taiwanese skyscraper.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
23 Jan. 2026
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Ryan Weathers had just finished throwing a bullpen and sweating in a sauna when Peter Bendix, the Marlins’ president of baseball operations, called him on Tuesday.—
Gary Phillips,
Sun Sentinel,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
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It’s been only about three weeks since Trump toppled Maduro, and already a long line of other flashpoints — from immigration enforcement to Greenland — are distracting attention from what his administration is doing in Caracas.—
Eleanor Mueller,
semafor.com,
26 Jan. 2026
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The whole idea is to choose something that isn't too distracting.—
Sarah Lyon,
Southern Living,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Worrying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worrying. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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