What does careworn mean?
Careworn is an adjective describing someone whose appearance shows the cumulative effects of prolonged worry, anxiety, or hardship. It is most often used of a person's face — a careworn expression, a careworn brow — suggesting lines, fatigue, and gravity etched by years of concern rather than physical labour alone. The word carries a sympathetic, literary connotation: it evokes dignity in adversity rather than mere laziness or neglect, which distinguishes it from blunter synonyms like 'haggard' or 'gaunt'. Writers favour it for characterisation because it compresses biography into a single visual impression: one glance tells the reader that this person has carried heavy responsibilities. Though somewhat formal and more common in written English than conversation, it remains a vivid and economical choice for describing the visible toll of mental strain.
Showing the effects of prolonged worry, anxiety, or hardship on one's face or expression.
"He looked older than his fifty years, his careworn face marked by long nights of worry."
Most frequently modifies 'face', 'expression', 'brow', or 'look'.
Fatigued or worn down by persistent cares and responsibilities.
"After twenty years as headmistress she was visibly careworn."
Less common sense; extends beyond facial appearance to overall bearing.
A single word that says what decades of worry look like — no photograph required.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of careworn
Careworn is a compound of 'care', from Old English 'caru' meaning sorrow or anxiety, and 'worn', the past participle of 'wear', from Old English 'werian'. The compound arose in English, likely in the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century, following the productive pattern of other compounds like 'world-weary' and 'travel-worn'. Its roots are thus thoroughly Germanic, sharing ancestry with words such as 'careful', 'careless', and 'weary'.
Related word forms
How careworn is actually used
Careworn is almost always applied literally or figuratively to a person's face, brow, or expression; it is a literary and somewhat formal word, common in fiction and descriptive prose rather than everyday speech.
Easily confused with careworn
Both describe a tired, strained appearance, but 'haggard' refers more generally to exhaustion or gauntness from any cause, while 'careworn' specifically attributes the weariness to worry or mental burden.