concern

Concern means to relate to or to affect, to interest or engage, or to worry. Concern also has several senses as a noun.

If an issue or problem concerns someone, it means that it involves them or will affect them personally.

• Real-life examples: The price of gas concerns drivers. Stock market prices concern investors. Global warming concerns everyone.
• Used in a sentence: Our conversation doesn’t concern you, so leave us alone. 

As a noun, this sense of concern means something that is closely related to something else or something that is a main focus.

• Used in a sentence: Fires are the concern of the fire department. 

Concern can also mean to interest someone or draw their attention. In this sense, it is often followed by with or in.

• Real-life examples: You might concern yourself with your friend’s problem because you care about them. When you’re taking a test, your teacher might remind students to be concerned only with their own papers. Your parents concern themselves with your health.
• Used in a sentence: Chuck doesn’t concern himself with other people’s problems. 

Concern is used as a noun in this sense to mean a matter or issue that a person cares about.

• Used in a sentence: What my neighbors do to their lawn is no concern of mine. 

Lastly, concern means to worry or cause anxiety.

• Real-life examples: You might be concerned about your grades. Politicians are often concerned about whether voters will keep voting for them. Your friend might be concerned about whether you both make the basketball team.
• Used in a sentence: Her brother’s failing health really concerns Joelene,  and she has been losing sleep over it. 

As a noun, concern is a synonym of words such as worry or anxiety.

• Used in a sentence: We try to ease parents’ concern by showing them that the school is completely safe and monitored. 

The first records of concern come from around 1375. It ultimately comes from the Medieval Latin concernere, meaning “to relate to” or “to distinguish.”

What are some other forms related to concern?

• concerning (preposition, adjective, present tense verb)
• unconcern (noun)
• unconcerned (adjective)
• overconcern (noun, verb)
• preconcern (noun, verb)
• self-concern (noun)

What are some synonyms for concern?

• disturb
• interest
• affect
• involve
• involve
• worry
• anxiety

What are some words that share a root or word element with concern? 

• concerning
• unconcern
• unconcerned
• to whom it may concern

What are some words that often get used in discussing concern?

• issue
• problem
• important
• care
• stress

Concern is a common word that often means something matters to someone or causes them anxiety.

I stay out of situations that doesn't concern me!

— Loren LoLondon (@LO_LONDON) July 12, 2016

It really concerns me how many people will blindly defend their idol no matter what they do.

— Calum McSwiggan (@CalumMcSwiggan) September 21, 2014

Sounds like the province is working to get casinos open. Dr. Henry says she has not seen the plan yet. Says her concern is the safety of not just gamblers but those working at the casinos. #bcpoli #covid19bc

— Richard Zussman (@richardzussman) June 26, 2020

Which of the following words is a synonym of concern?

A. relief
B. worry
C. apathy
D. happiness