What does concernedness mean?
Concernedness is a rare English noun for the condition of being concerned, especially anxious, worried, or troubled. Its range also allows care, interest, and regard, although these broader senses are less common in present-day use. The word is most often encountered in older, formal, or literary prose; modern speakers are more likely to choose anxiety, worry, concern, or uneasiness, depending on the context. Concernedness can describe concern for another person, as in concern about a friend’s safety, as well as an inward state of anxiety. It differs from concern because it foregrounds the feeling or condition itself, while concern can also mean relevance, involvement, or a matter of importance. It should not be confused with concerned, the adjective usually found in phrases such as a concerned friend or a concerned expression. Although uncommon, concernedness is useful when precision calls for naming the emotional state rather than the event that prompts it, and its distinctive formation makes it an interesting example of the English suffix -ness.
nounThe state of being concerned, especially anxiety, worry, or care about someone or something.
- The state of being worried, anxious, or troubled; more broadly, care or interest in someone or something.
"She tried to conceal her concernedness when the overdue telegram arrived."
"He tried to hide his concernedness when the storm approached."
"Her concernedness for the missing hikers was evident despite her calm demeanor."
The plural is rare because the word is normally used as an uncountable abstract noun.
"The study identifies three concernednesses in the correspondence."
The rare noun concernedness puts the emotional weight of concerned into one compact, old-fashioned word.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does concernedness come from?
Concernedness was formed in English by adding the abstract noun suffix -ness to concerned. Concerned ultimately comes through French concerner from Latin concernere, a compound of con- and cernere, “to discern or sift out.” Over time, its meanings developed from involvement or entanglement to care, anxiety, and the state of being troubled, which underlies the modern noun concernedness.
How concernedness is actually used
Rare and somewhat literary or old-fashioned. It is usually uncountable, and modern speakers generally prefer anxiety, worry, concern, or uneasiness.
Easily confused with concernedness
Concernedness is a noun naming a state of anxiety or care, whereas concerned is an adjective describing a person, feeling, or situation.