What does worried mean?
Worried is a common English word used primarily as an adjective to describe someone who feels anxious, uneasy, or concerned about an uncertain outcome. A worried person may be thinking about a difficult decision, the safety of a loved one, an impending problem, or a situation that cannot be controlled. The word can also describe outward signs of anxiety, such as a worried expression or look. In addition to its adjectival use, worried serves as the past tense and past participle of the verb worry: a person worries, while an event or piece of news worries someone else. The word often conveys concern rather than panic, although its meaning can range from mild uneasiness to serious anxiety depending on context. It is used naturally in both British and American English and can appear in everyday conversation, formal writing, journalism, and educational material.
Feeling anxious, uneasy, or concerned about something; showing such anxiety or concern.
"He had a worried look before the examination."
The adjective may describe a person's feelings or visible expression of concern.
As the past tense of worry, to experience anxiety or concern; as a transitive form, to cause someone to feel anxious or concerned.
"The doctor worried the family with the unexpected diagnosis."
This is the past tense and past participle of worry, and its meaning depends on whether it is used intransitively or transitively.
Worried can describe both the anxious person and the act of causing anxiety: the same word captures what it feels like to worry and what it means to worry someone else.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does worried come from?
Worried comes from the verb worry, which developed through Middle English from Old English wyrgan, meaning 'to care for, attend to, or be concerned about.' During the Middle English period, the word developed meanings involving mental disturbance, anxiety, and vexation, which led to the modern adjective worried and the related forms worry and worrying. Related Germanic words, including wary and weary, preserve cognate senses connected with watchfulness, care, and weariness.
Related word forms
How worried is actually used
In everyday use, worried is most often an adjective describing a person's feelings or appearance. It can also be the past tense of worry when the subject experiences anxiety, as in 'She worried about the delay,' or a transitive past-tense verb meaning 'to cause anxiety,' as in 'The warning worried the residents.' The word is neutral and widely used in formal and informal contexts.
Easily confused with worried
Worried describes anxiety or concern, whereas weary describes tiredness caused by exertion, monotony, or lack of sleep.