Worry: meaning, definitions and examples

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worry

 

[ ˈwʌri ]

Verb / Noun
Oxford 3000
Context #1 | Verb

feeling

Feel or cause to feel anxious or troubled about actual or potential problems.

Synonyms

agonize, fret, obsess, stress

Examples of usage

  • He worried about the future of his business.
  • She constantly worries about her children.
Context #2 | Noun

emotion

A state of anxiety and uncertainty over actual or potential problems.

Synonyms

anxiety, concern, stress, unease

Examples of usage

  • She was consumed by worry over her upcoming exam.
  • The constant worry about his health was affecting his sleep.

Translations

Translations of the word "worry" in other languages:

🇵🇹 preocupação

🇮🇳 चिंता

🇩🇪 Sorge

🇮🇩 kekhawatiran

🇺🇦 турбота

🇵🇱 zmartwienie

🇯🇵 心配 (しんぱい)

🇫🇷 inquiétude

🇪🇸 preocupación

🇹🇷 endişe

🇰🇷 걱정 (geokjeong)

🇸🇦 قلق

🇨🇿 starost

🇸🇰 starosť

🇨🇳 担心 (dānxīn)

🇸🇮 skrb

🇮🇸 áhyggja

🇰🇿 алаңдаушылық

🇬🇪 შფოთვა

🇦🇿 narahatlıq

🇲🇽 preocupación

Etymology

The word 'worry' originated from the Old English word 'wyrgan' which meant to strangle or to kill by compressing the throat. Over time, the meaning evolved to represent the feeling of anxiety or unease. The concept of worry has been present in human experience for centuries, with various cultures and societies developing different ways to cope with and understand this complex emotion.

See also: unworried, worried, worriedly, worrier, worrying, worryingly.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #3,765, this word is part of upper-intermediate vocabulary. While not among the most basic terms, it appears often enough to be valuable for advanced communication.