worry

[ wur-ee, wuhr-ee ]

verb (used without object)

, wor·ried, wor·ry·ing.

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)

, wor·ried, wor·ry·ing.

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 wor·ries.

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. Informal. 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. introften foll byaway 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. whenintr, foll by at 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. not to worry 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. no worries informal.
   an expression used to express agreement or to convey that something is proceeding or has proceeded satisfactorily; no problem

Derived Forms

• ˈworryingly, adverb
• ˈworrying, adjective

Other Words From

• wor·ri·er noun
• wor·ri·less adjective
• wor·ry·ing·ly adverb

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, Informal. 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

“I’m worried about people totally withdrawing from politics because it’s unpleasant,” said Aaron Weinschenk, a political scientist at the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay who studies political behavior and elections.

From Los Angeles Times

Murray wasn’t worried about baring his abs for the film — it was the dancing that terrified him.

From Los Angeles Times

Like Nessa, Bode also moved away for college — a decision that initially worried her parents and older brother — and graduated from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Los Angeles in 2021.

From Los Angeles Times

He also admits he was worried that collaborating with Smerilli might strain their friendship.

From Los Angeles Times

"There's so many health professionals who are worried about this."

From BBC

Related Words

• annoy
• bother
• depress
• disturb
• fret
• irritate
• perturb
• plague
• trouble
• try
• unsettle
• upset

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.