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View synonyms for

worry

[wur-ee, wuhr-ee]

verb (used without object)

worried, worrying 
  1. to torment oneself with or suffer from disturbing thoughts; fret.

  2. to move with effort.

    an old car worrying uphill.



verb (used with object)

worried, worrying 
  1. to torment with cares, anxieties, etc.; trouble; plague.

    Synonyms: , , , ,
  2. to seize, especially by the throat, with the teeth and shake or mangle, as one animal does another.

  3. to harass by repeated biting, snapping, etc.

noun

plural

worries 
  1. a worried condition or feeling; uneasiness or anxiety.

    Synonyms: , , , ,
  2. a cause of uneasiness or anxiety; trouble.

  3. the act of worrying.

  4. Fox Hunting.the action of the hounds in tearing to pieces the carcass of a fox.

verb phrase

  1. Informalto progress or succeed by constant effort, despite difficulty.

    to worry through an intolerable situation.

worry

/ ˈʌɪ /

verb

  1. to be or cause to be anxious or uneasy, esp about something uncertain or potentially dangerous

  2. (tr) to disturb the peace of mind of; bother

    don't worry me with trivialities

  3. (intr; often foll by along or through) to proceed despite difficulties

  4. to struggle or work

    to worry away at a problem

  5. (tr) (of a dog, wolf, etc) to lacerate or kill by biting, shaking, etc

  6. to bite, tear, or gnaw (at) with the teeth

    a dog worrying a bone

  7. (tr) to move as specified, esp by repeated pushes

    they worried the log into the river

  8. (tr) to touch or poke repeatedly and idly

  9. obsoleteto choke or cause to choke

  10. informalyou need not worry

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a state or feeling of anxiety

  2. a person or thing that causes anxiety

  3. an act of worrying

  4. informalan expression used to express agreement or to convey that something is proceeding or has proceeded satisfactorily; no problem

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Word Forms

  • worrier noun
  • worriless adjective
  • worryingly adverb
  • ˈɴǰ⾱Բ adverb
  • ˈɴǰ⾱Բ adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of worry1

First recorded before 900; Middle English weryen, werwen, wyrwyn “to strangle, bite, harass,” Old English wyrgan “to strangle”; cognate with German ü
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Word History and Origins

Origin of worry1

Old English wyrgan; related to Old Frisian wergia to kill, Old High German wurgen (German ( er ) ü to strangle), Old Norse virgill, urga rope
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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. no worries, Also not to worry

    1. Don’t be worried or troubled; everything will be fine.

      We'll help you move your stuff, no worries!

    2. (used as a conventional reply to thank you or thanks).

      Oh, no worries, it was fun having you come with us!

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Synonym Study

Worry, annoy, harass all mean to disturb or interfere with someone's comfort or peace of mind. To worry is to cause anxiety, apprehension, or care: to worry one's parents. To annoy is to vex or irritate by continued repetition of interferences: to annoy the neighbors. Harass implies long-continued disturbance, torment, or persecution: to harrass a creditor.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Fire crews arrived a short time later, but Mr Gibson admitted he was worried about being forced into a life or death choice.

From

Medina worried immigration officials were now targeting him and their house.

From

“Kids are worried about that, and so let’s make sure we talk it over with them. How may a potential separation impact them?”

From

Among the general population of American adults, 58% said they were concerned that regulation would be insufficient, while just 21% said that they were worried it might go too far.

From

He was devastated and worried that he would have to curtail plans of a dream wedding and honeymoon with fiancée Lara Russell.

From

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When To Use

are other ways to sayworry?

The noun worry means “a worried condition or feeling.” How does worry compare to synonyms care and concern? Learn more on Thesaurus.com. 

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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