worried

1 of 2

adjective

Synonyms of worriednext
: mentally troubled or concerned : feeling or showing concern or anxiety about what is happening or might happen
worried parents
a worried frown
I'm not too worried about the weather.
He was worried sick. [=extremely worried]
But the technological intrusion of prenatal testing leaves expectant parents more worried than reassured.Ronni Sandroff
There was an ominous and worried expression on their faces.Jack London
… his mother was so worried she sent for the doctor.E. B. White
worriedly adverb
"Well, what did you think when you heard the news?" Jimmy asked us worriedly. Bobbie Ann Mason
… Roy thought it was from a snakebite, and worriedly glanced around. Carl Hiaasen

worried

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of worry entry 1

Examples of worried in a Sentence

Adjective the soldier's father had a worried expression as he listened to the news
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Although the couple was worried about damaging the tiles underfoot with such footwear as high heels, the Penha Longa Resort events team assured them that all surfaces were meant to be walked on. Kaitlin Menza, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Sep. 2026 Not everyone is worried yields will derail the bull market, however. Fred Imbert, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026 Parents, politicians and child advocacy groups are worried that social media is contributing to depression, anxiety, eating disorders and other issues. Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026 At the time, the federal government was worried about how trading of commodities like grain, corn and cotton could influence prices and farming businesses. Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for worried

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1624, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of worried was in 1624

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Worried.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/worried. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Kids Definition

worried

adjective
wor·​ried
ˈwər-ēd
ˈwə-rēd
: having worries : marked by or showing worry
very worried about the test
a worried look
worriedly adverb
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