worrying

adjective

wor·​ry·​ing ˈwər-ē-iŋ 

ˈwə-rē-

: causing worry : creating reason for worry : troubling

a worrying trend/development

a worrying question

The presence of the knife on the stage of the murder was a worrying circumstance for Wilson.

—Mark Twain

worryingly adverb

When the secretary returned, she handed us an envelope that looked worryingly official …

—Caroline Alexander

… money held by households has risen at a worryingly slow rate over the past year …

—The Economist

Examples of worrying in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

To hear Mayor Brandon Johnson’s finance team, this worrying situation was something that just happened to them — the equivalent of an act of God over which the city had no control and little time to respond. —The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 2 July 2025

But even more worrying is that 22% of the samples weren’t shark or ray at all. —Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025

Beyond the threat of cyberattacks, more worrying for investors is Powell’s resistance to rate cuts, despite pressure from Trump. —Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 24 June 2025

Although each of these rising nuclear antagonists poses a challenge in its own right, the possibility of coordination or collusion among them is even more worrying. —Vipin Narang, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for worrying

• currying
• hurrying
• scurrying