51Թ

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worry

[ wur-ee, wuhr-ee ]

verb (used without object)

worried, worrying.
  1. to torment oneself with or suffer from disturbing thoughts; fret.
  2. to move with effort:

    an old car worrying uphill.



verb (used with object)

worried, worrying.
  1. to torment with cares, anxieties, etc.; trouble; plague.

    Synonyms: , , , ,

  2. to seize, especially by the throat, with the teeth and shake or mangle, as one animal does another.
  3. to harass by repeated biting, snapping, etc.

noun

plural worries.
  1. a worried condition or feeling; uneasiness or anxiety.

    Synonyms: , , , ,

  2. a cause of uneasiness or anxiety; trouble.
  3. the act of worrying.
  4. Fox Hunting. the action of the hounds in tearing to pieces the carcass of a fox.

verb phrase

  1. Informal. to progress or succeed by constant effort, despite difficulty:

    to worry through an intolerable situation.

worry

/ ˈʌɪ /

verb

  1. to be or cause to be anxious or uneasy, esp about something uncertain or potentially dangerous
  2. tr to disturb the peace of mind of; bother

    don't worry me with trivialities

  3. intr; often foll by along or through to proceed despite difficulties
  4. introften foll byaway to struggle or work

    to worry away at a problem

  5. tr (of a dog, wolf, etc) to lacerate or kill by biting, shaking, etc
  6. whenintr, foll by at to bite, tear, or gnaw (at) with the teeth

    a dog worrying a bone

  7. tr to move as specified, esp by repeated pushes

    they worried the log into the river

  8. tr to touch or poke repeatedly and idly
  9. obsolete.
    to choke or cause to choke
  10. not to worry informal.
    you need not worry
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a state or feeling of anxiety
  2. a person or thing that causes anxiety
  3. an act of worrying
  4. no worries informal.
    an expression used to express agreement or to convey that something is proceeding or has proceeded satisfactorily; no problem
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈɴǰ⾱Բ, adverb
  • ˈɴǰ⾱Բ, adjective
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Other 51Թ Forms

  • ɴǰ·· noun
  • ɴǰ·· adjective
  • ɴǰ··Բ· adverb
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of worry1

First recorded before 900; Middle English weryen, werwen, wyrwyn “to strangle, bite, harass,” Old English wyrgan “to strangle”; cognate with German ü
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of worry1

Old English wyrgan; related to Old Frisian wergia to kill, Old High German wurgen (German ( er ) ü to strangle), Old Norse virgill, urga rope
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Idioms and Phrases

  1. no worries, Informal. Also not to worry.
    1. Don’t be worried or troubled; everything will be fine:

      We'll help you move your stuff, no worries!

    2. (used as a conventional reply to thank you or thanks):

      Oh, no worries, it was fun having you come with us!

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Synonym Study

Worry, annoy, harass all mean to disturb or interfere with someone's comfort or peace of mind. To worry is to cause anxiety, apprehension, or care: to worry one's parents. To annoy is to vex or irritate by continued repetition of interferences: to annoy the neighbors. Harass implies long-continued disturbance, torment, or persecution: to harrass a creditor.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

He adds that job worries and financial concerns, along with relationship problems, are a big driver in the high suicide rates seen among men.

From

The former England international goalkeeper should have kept out Levitt's opener, the latest in a line of mistakes that has grown worrying long.

From

Empty nesters should not worry they are too old to become foster carers, as those who have made the move tell the BBC they have "a huge amount to offer" .

From

If the end is at hand, why worry too scrupulously over a life or two, or, for that matter, over the functioning of society?

From

She and her family were alert to every sound, worried that any moment could bring pro-government gunmen to the house.

From

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When To Use

What are other ways to say worry?

The noun worry means “a worried condition or feeling.” How does worry compare to synonyms care and concern? Learn more on .

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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