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: distress, badger, hector, harry, tease

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: fear, misgiving, disquiet, solicitude, apprehension

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. worry along / through,  to progress or succeed by constant effort, despite difficulty.

   to worry through an intolerable situation.

worry

/ ˈwʌrɪ /

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. obsolete,  to choke or cause to choke

10. informal,  you need not worry

noun

1. a state or feeling of anxiety

2. a person or thing that causes anxiety

3. an act of worrying

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

Other Word Forms

• worryingly adverb
• worrying adjective
• worrier noun
• worriless adjective

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 würgen

Word History and Origins

Origin of worry¹

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

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!

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.

Example Sentences

Catherine, Princess of Wales, told the team that they had her worried after an even first half against Australia in Brighton.

From BBC

Even on the government payroll one minister worries, "the country is desperate for a disrupter, and it's just not who he is," questioning whether Starmer can be the right man for this political moment.

From BBC

But some experts and many Altadena residents worry that the report’s lack of specificity helps officials dodge accountability and makes it more difficult to ensure that such a catastrophic failure doesn’t happen again.

From Los Angeles Times

And I was a little worried, thinking maybe I don't have the level to play with these guys.

From BBC

But rights activists worry about the human cost of these operations.

From BBC

Related Words

• anguish 
• apprehension 
• concern 
• doubt 
• fear 
• headache 
• misery 
• misgiving 
• pain 
• problem 
• uncertainty 
• uneasiness www.thesaurus.com
• woe 

When To Use

What are other ways to say worry?

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