worried

American

[wur-eed, wuhr-] / ˈwɜr id, ˈwʌr- /

adjective

having or characterized by worry; concerned; anxious.

Their worried parents called the police.
indicating, expressing, or attended by worry.

worried looks.

worried British

/ ˈwʌrɪd /

adjective

feeling uneasy about a situation or thing; anxious

"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

Other Word Forms

unworried adjective
worriedly adverb

Etymology

Origin of worried

First recorded in 1550–60; worry + -ed ²

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.

For the first decade of his career, he lived in an apartment and worried about paying for vacations.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

The strike on the bridge in Karaj also worried one local resident who described himself as "pro-war".

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

Many investors and others are worried that a bubble is forming and may burst in artificial intelligence-related stocks and spending.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

She adds that she’s not worried her boys will balk at the idea.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 2, 2026

With a worried look on his face, Grandpa said, “Boy, they’re sure going after it, aren’t they? Do you think Rowdy’ll be all right?”

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls

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