Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Feeling or showing anxiety or concern about actual or potential problems: The state of being mentally troubled or uneasy, often about something that might happen or about a current difficulty.
   • Afflicted with anxious uneasiness or distress: Marked by persistent, troubling thoughts that cause mental agitation.

Usage

• The adjective "worried" describes a person's emotional state. It is often followed by the preposition "about" to specify the cause of concern (e.g., ). It can also be used before a noun (e.g., ) or after a linking verb like "be," "feel," or "look" (e.g., ).

Examples

• As a predicate adjective (after a linking verb):
  • She felt worried about her job security after the company merger.
  • The parents were worried when their child was late coming home.
• As an attributive adjective (before a noun):
  • He had a worried expression on his face.
  • After the storm, we made a worried check of the property for damage.

Advanced Usage

• "Worried sick": An idiom meaning extremely anxious.
  • She was worried sick when she couldn't reach her son.
• "Worried that...": Used to introduce a clause specifying the nature of the concern.
  • I'm worried that we might miss our flight.

Variants and Related Words

• Worry (verb/noun): The action or state from which the adjective is derived.
  • Verb: Don't worry about it.
  • Noun: Financial worry kept him awake.
• Worrying (adjective): Causing worry.
  • The worrying news spread quickly.
• Worrisome (adjective): Causing worry; similar to "worrying."
  • It was a worrisome development.

Synonyms

• Anxious: Experiencing worry or nervousness, often about an uncertain outcome.
• Apprehensive: Anxious or fearful that something bad or unpleasant will happen.
• Concerned: Interested and involved, or troubled and anxious.
• Distressed: Suffering from anxiety, sorrow, or pain.
• Uneasy: Feeling or causing anxiety; troubled or uncomfortable.

Antonyms

• Calm: Not showing or feeling nervousness, anger, or other strong emotions.
• Untroubled: Not feeling, showing, or affected by anxiety or problems.
• Unconcerned: Showing a lack of worry or interest, especially when perhaps expected.

Related Phrases

• Worried to death: An idiom similar to "worried sick," meaning extremely anxious.
  • He'll be worried to death until he hears the news.
• Worried frown: A common collocation describing a facial expression showing worry.
  • A worried frown crossed her brow.

Adjective

1. mentally upset over possible misfortune or danger etc
   • apprehensive about her job
   • not used to a city and worried about small things
   • felt apprehensive about the consequences
2. afflicted with or marked by anxious uneasiness or trouble or grief
   • too upset to say anything
   • spent many disquieted moments
   • distressed about her son's leaving home
   • lapsed into disturbed sleep
   • worried parents
   • a worried frown
   • one last worried check of the sleeping children