worry

American  

[wur-ee, wuhr-ee] / ˈwɜr i, ˈwʌr i /

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.

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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

worries plural

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.

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!

worry British  

/ 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

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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

Usage

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. 

Synonym Usage

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.

Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of worry

First recorded before 900; Middle English weryen, werwen, wyrwyn “to strangle, bite, harass,” Old English wyrgan “to strangle”; cognate with German würgen

Explanation

The verb worry is an anxious word; it means to be concerned or nervous. If you sent your carrier pigeon out in the morning to deliver a message, you might worry if it hadn't returned by the afternoon. When you worry, you feel uneasy — the way you might worry that you've got spinach in your teeth when you're at a job interview. When it's an animal doing the worrying, it takes on a different meaning: a dog will worry a bone — or gnaw on it and play with it, for hours. The word worry comes from the Old English wyrgan, which originally meant "strangle," and changed over the years to mean first "harass," and then "cause anxiety to."

Example Sentences

Is more Grand Slam woe for Brits a worry for Wimbledon?

From BBC • May 29, 2026

It’s understandable for investors to worry about selling their chip holdings too soon, but they should think of it as “trimming” rather than getting out.

From MarketWatch • May 28, 2026

While critics worry about how the drones will be used, especially when equipped with AI technology, advocates argue they are more cost-effective than police helicopters.

From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026

Locals worry that for anyone who doesn’t get a job, the cash benefits won’t last, and land they are left with won’t be enough to farm sustainably.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

The more I tried to tell myself not to worry, the more I worried and knew that I had to leave.

From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff

Related Words

• anguish
• apprehension
• concern
• doubt
• fear
• headache
• misery
• misgiving
• pain
• problem
• uncertainty
• uneasiness
• woe