worrying

1 of 2

adjective

wor·​ry·​ing ˈwər-ē-iŋ How to pronounce worrying (audio)
ˈwə-rē-
Synonyms of worryingnext
: causing worry : creating reason for worry : troubling
a worrying trend/development
a worrying question
The presence of the knife on the stage of the murder was a worrying circumstance for Wilson.—Mark Twain
worryingly adverb
When the secretary returned, she handed us an envelope that looked worryingly official … —Caroline Alexander
… money held by households has risen at a worryingly slow rate over the past year … —The Economist

worrying

2 of 2

present participle of worry entry 1

Examples of worrying in a Sentence

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Adjective
This paints a worrying picture for any merger between Sky and ITV. — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2026 By the end of the round, Hrgović was nursing a cut above his right eyebrow — a worrying sign for a man whose June 2024 fight against Daniel Dubois was stopped because of cuts above both his eyebrows. — Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026 Most worrying is the prospect of a proliferation of small wars for territory. — Mark Leonard, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026 The country's sky-high debt levels are even more worrying as Treasury yields continue to rise. — Fred Imbert, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for worrying

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1817, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of worrying was in 1817

Rhymes for worrying

See All Rhymes for worrying

Browse Nearby Words

worry beads
worrying
worryingly
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Cite this Entry

“Worrying.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/worrying. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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