adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of worried
Explanation
The adjective worried describes someone who's uneasy or troubled about something. Imagine worried parents, up late, waiting for their teenager to arrive home from a party. Someone with a worried frown on his face always seems concerned. A worried email to your cousin who's traveling in the Middle East expresses your concern for her safety. The root of worried is the Old English word wyrgan, or strangle. It wasn't until the late 1800s that worried was used to describe feeling anxiety.
Vocabulary lists containing worried
In the Mood? 100 Words to Describe Emotions
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Hooked on a Feeling, List 2
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Cormac McCarthy's "The Road"
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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.
She is worried about next winter and thinking about getting a part-time job to pay her bills.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 7, 2026
Ruconich-Jones said she and her husband are worried his degree may not ultimately qualify for the higher loan limits.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 6, 2026
Leaving the pits for his final lap, Antonelli complained about being the first driver to run but he need not have worried.
From BBC • Jul. 4, 2026
Farmers are also "very worried" on the Piedmont side of the valley, near the town of Vercelli, according to Roberto Guerrini, the 55-year-old head of the local Coldiretti branch.
From Barron's • Jul. 4, 2026
“You know Dad is gonna flip if you get any more involved in this. I’m worried about you, too. The protests have already gotten out of hand.”
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
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.
