worried

adjective

wor·​ried ˈwər-ēd 

ˈwə-rēd

: mentally troubled or concerned : feeling or showing concern or anxiety about what is happening or might happen

worried parents

a worried frown

I'm not too worried about the weather.

He was worried sick. [=extremely worried]

But the technological intrusion of prenatal testing leaves expectant parents more worried than reassured.

—Ronni Sandroff

There was an ominous and worried expression on their faces.

—Jack London

… his mother was so worried she sent for the doctor.

—E. B. White

worriedly adverb

"Well, what did you think when you heard the news?" Jimmy asked us worriedly.

—Bobbie Ann Mason

… Roy thought it was from a snakebite, and worriedly glanced around.

—Carl Hiaasen

Synonyms

• upset
• nervous
• anxious
• uneasy
• troubled
• apprehensive
• concerned

Examples of worried in a Sentence

the soldier's father had a worried expression as he listened to the news

Recent Examples on the Web

During a ten-minute break, Heidi was worried. —Joe Garcia, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2025

Midwest The Upper Midwest is the only area that has some potential for minor travel delays, but the Farmer’s Almanac isn’t too worried. —Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Oct. 2025

Rob Gibson, Easy Tiger CEO, says comedy is always a tough sell because people are worried about whether the laughs will land. —Paul Chai, Variety, 11 Oct. 2025

One former OpenAI employee who was not authorized to speak publicly said being worried about safety protections dropping over time is a legitimate fear. —Bobby Allyn, NPR, 10 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1624, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for worried

• curried
• flurried
• hurried
• scurried
• unburied
• unhurried

Kids Definition

worried

adjective

wor·​ried

ˈwər-ēd,

ˈwə-rēd

: having worries : marked by or showing worry

very worried about the test

a worried look

worriedly adverb