worrying

adjective

wor·​ry·​ing ˈwər-ē-iŋ How to pronounce worrying (audio)
ˈwə-rē-
: 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

Examples of worrying in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Here’s why that would have been especially worrying. IEEE Spectrum, 11 June 2025 The previous week saw 247,000 new claims, a worrying sign. Catherine Baab, Quartz, 8 June 2025 This paltry increase is even more worrying given drastic price cuts seen in the EV market in 2024. Ashley Nunes, Boston Herald, 7 June 2025 From Beijing’s perspective, there are plenty of worrying signs. Nectar Gan, CNN Money, 6 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for worrying

Word History

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of worrying was in 1817

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Cite this Entry

“Worrying.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/worrying. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.

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