WORRYING Synonyms: 113 Similar and Opposite Words

worrying

verb

Definition of worrying

present participle of worry

as in fretting

to experience concern or anxiety they worried for days about whether the loan would be approved

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in bothering

to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy those strange noises outside the house worry me

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of worrying This was several shades darker, worrying about economic upheaval, social unrest, cyberattacks, bioterrorism—and most important, the failure of experts and governments to take these threats seriously enough. — Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 27 Aug. 2026 Celeste begins worrying about her mother-in-law after her credit cards are declined and her outfits are increasingly out of place, but things begin to click when Mary-Louise gives Max, Josh and Ziggy expensive cars. — Matt Minton, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026 Being able to save money while still enjoying life and eating out without worrying about the bill followed close behind the top two answers. — Rachel Barber, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026 Certainly, he’s been worrying about Final Fantasy for 23 years. — Gene Park, Washington Post, 23 Aug. 2026 But gone was the tension of worrying about pleasing a high-strung, perfectionist host. — Merrill Markoe, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026 Is there any value in me worrying over it until a trade does happen or doesn’t happen? — Murat Ates, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 But the size of the debt is not the only thing that is worrying. — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 20 Aug. 2026 Yasmina is a far more practical businesswoman and is eager to get out of Lebanon for good, worrying for her safety. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for worrying

Verb

Harvard University’s policy capping A grades among undergraduates doesn’t officially start for another year, but students heading back to school this fall are already fretting over the changes.

— Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 19 Aug. 2026
One day after hitting two homers, Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Nolan Arenado was fretting about a pain he's never felt.

— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of fretting

Verb

Both leaders warn that even giants like Amazon aren't too big to fail, stressing customer focus and constant adaptation.

— Jason Goldberg, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
After the recent brawls, both teams released statements stressing the importance of a safe ballpark environment.

— Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of stressing

Verb

The development proved alarming enough that OpenAI vowed last week to slow the release of its upcoming Astra AI model.

— Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 12 Aug. 2026
Found in many foods For consumers, of course, the latest food safety concerns can be alarming given that lettuce and jalapeño peppers are used in many of the roughly 1 billion meals Americans consume daily.

— Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of alarming

Verb

Spooked investors have even sued Supermicro for securities fraud, fearing that the company’s sales may be dominated by such illicit sales.

— Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 24 Aug. 2026
Epic execs acknowledged the need for rapid AI adoption, fearing patients may bypass traditional systems for health information.

— Michael L. Millenson, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of fearing

Verb

The relative rarity and disturbing nature of these cases are part of what attracts so much attention, said Michelle Oberman, a law professor at Santa Clara University who has studied and written about women who kill their children.

— N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
But after a series of disturbing events begins occurring around town, including the arrival of a mysterious stranger, Madeline, Celeste, Renata, Jane and Bonnie must grapple with the weight of their past secrets, a synopsis reads.

— Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of disturbing

Verb

The distracting Diwali fireworks distracted led to reshoots of the pivotal moment.

— Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
Not only are these sheer curtains over half off right now, but the subtle stripe adds just enough visual interest without distracting from your room’s overall design scheme.

— Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of distracting

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worry

worrying

worrywart

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“Worrying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worrying. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of worrying

verb

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