concern
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to relate to; be connected with; be of interest or importance to; affect.
The water shortage concerns us all.
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to interest or engage (used reflexively or in the passive, often followed by with orin ).
She concerns herself with every aspect of the business.
-
to trouble, worry, or disquiet.
I am concerned about his health.
- Synonyms:
- disturb
noun
-
something that relates or pertains to a person; business; affair.
Law is the concern of lawyers.
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a matter that engages a person's attention, interest, or care, or that affects a person's welfare or happiness.
The party was no concern of his.
- Synonyms:
- responsibility, burden
-
worry, solicitude, or anxiety.
to show concern for someone in trouble.
- Antonyms:
- indifference
-
important relation or bearing.
This news is of concern to all of us.
-
a commercial or manufacturing company or establishment.
the headquarters of an insurance concern.
-
Informal. any material object or contrivance.
verb
-
to relate to; be of importance or interest to; affect
-
to involve or interest (oneself)
he concerns himself with other people's affairs
noun
-
something that affects or is of importance to a person; affair; business
-
regard for or interest in a person or a thing
he felt a strong concern for her
-
anxiety, worry, or solicitude
-
important bearing or relation
his news has great concern for us
-
a commercial company or enterprise
-
informal a material thing, esp one of which one has a low opinion
Usage
What is a basic definition of 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.
- Used in a sentence: Fires are the concern of the fire department.
- 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.
- Used in a sentence: What my neighbors do to their lawn is no concern of mine.
- 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.
- Used in a sentence: We try to ease parents’ concern by showing them that the school is completely safe and monitored.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
concernsimple
-
concernssimple
-
have concernedperfect
-
has concernedperfect
-
am concerningprogressive
-
are concerningprogressive
-
is concerningprogressive
-
have been concerningperfect progressive
-
has been concerningperfect progressive
Past
-
concernedsimple
-
had concernedperfect
-
was concerningprogressive
-
were concerningprogressive
-
had been concerningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of concern
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English concernen, from Middle French concerner, from Medieval Latin concernere “to relate to, distinguish,” from Late Latin: “to mix for sifting,” from Latin con- con- + cernere “to decide, separate, sift”
Explanation
Concern is both a noun and a verb. As a noun it's something that you find particularly important. If you love pizza, getting the crust just so is a major concern during your pizza party. Concern can also be something or someone that makes you upset or anxious, like your concern over the quality of the pizza crust. It can be a feeling of sympathy, like when your mom expresses concern over your obsession with pizza crust. As a verb, concern means to be relevant to something. Your main goal today may concern studying for your math test. Concern can also describe worry. When you stay out past curfew, your mom will be concerned.
Vocabulary lists containing concern
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 6
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Stacy Mair, 35, was found near Corsliehill Road in Houston at about 07:50 on Monday after police received a report of concern for a person.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
A growing concern in the industry is that the administration is running out of options.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
Of particular concern for the EU are deepfakes -- text, images, videos and sounds that appear to be real but are generated or manipulated by AI.
From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026
There’s been concern about reports from China on its ability to make advanced semiconductor chips.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
Guardian must sense my waves of concern because she says, “You were built to be able to handle this, Resilience. Run through your system’s instructions. You can get yourself unstuck.”
From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga
On Tuesday, her office said it was working on a revision to its executive orders that would reflect concerns about Lineage’s intent to rebuild.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
An alliance including Microsoft and SpaceX aims to democratize cybersecurity and counter security concerns.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
The robust results from the world’s second-largest memory-chip maker underscore the resilience of the AI boom and may help ease recent concerns about the sustainability of AI infrastructure spending.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
The dip has been caused by concerns about AI industry sustainability and conflict in the Middle East spooking investors, KB Securities analyst Kim Dong-won said in a note on Monday.
From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026
A building proclaims the architect’s concerns by the way in which it weaves these elements into a coherent program.
From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson
When Humberside Police announced they were investigating Legacy in March 2024, Ness rang the helpline set up for anyone concerned.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
We are concerned, however, by the real-world impact such discussions can have unless we go to great lengths to distinguish theory from practice.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
I’m also concerned about what would happen if she falls behind on paying the property taxes or homeowners insurance.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
Pediatrician in southern Utah: A lot of parents are concerned about autism.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
“They were also concerned to hear that your mother has prevented me from seeing my daughter.”
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
“I am aware of recent media inquiries concerning a protective order entered on July 10, 2026,” the chef wrote alongside the screenshot.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
Cricket NSW chief executive Lee Germon said after he was charged in April that the allegations were "concerning" and that the body took them "very seriously".
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
This effect may be especially concerning for people who already have high blood pressure.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 22, 2026
Perhaps more concerning for the industry, though, a spread of moratoria could add a constraint to an already scarce market for data-center sites that have adequate access to power, water and other resources.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
That what I told her was very concerning.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
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.
