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worry

wor·ry

worry

 
 
pronunciation:
wuhr i
parts of speech:
intransitive verb, transitive verb, noun
features:
Word Combinations (verb, noun), Word History, Word Builder, Word Explorer
part of speech: intransitive verb
inflections: worries, worrying, worried
definition 1: to feel anxious or troubled; fret.
Don't worry, I'll take care of the problem.His wife worried about him driving on the icy streets.
synonyms:
fret, sweat, trouble
similar words:
agonize, brood, care, despair, dread, fidget, fluster, stew
definition 2: to move or work with difficulty.
He worried away at his task.
synonyms:
agonize, labor, sweat
similar words:
haul, plod, struggle, toil, trouble
 
part of speech: transitive verb
definition 1: to cause to feel troubled or anxious.
His rebellious behavior worried his parents.It worried her that he hadn't come home yet.It worries me when my mother forgets to take her medicine.
synonyms:
concern, disquiet, distress, disturb, perturb, trouble
similar words:
agitate, bother, dismay, distract, fluster, fret, fuss, nag, perplex, upset, vex
definition 2: to bother; harass.
Be quiet and stop worrying your brother.
synonyms:
bother, disturb, harass, trouble
similar words:
annoy, badger, bully, harry, hassle, hector, irritate, nag, pester, plague, tease, torment, vex
definition 3: to seize and shake repeatedly, esp. with the teeth.
The dog worried the rat it had caught.
similar words:
bite, lacerate, mangle, shake, tear
definition 4: to gently press or poke; toy with.
If you continue to worry that cut, it will never heal.
synonyms:
toy with
similar words:
aggravate, disturb, fidget with, jab, poke, scratch
Word CombinationsSubscriber feature About this feature
 
part of speech: noun
definition 1: the activity of worrying.
Worry won't help the situation.
synonyms:
fretting
similar words:
brooding, fidgeting
definition 2: the state of being worried; anxiety.
Her worry was plain to see.His son's negative attitude filled him with worry.
synonyms:
anxiety, apprehension, care, concern, nervousness
antonyms:
ease
similar words:
anguish, disquiet, disquietude, distress, dread, fear, foreboding, nerve, solicitude, torment, uncertainty
definition 3: a cause of troubled or anxious feelings.
Hospital bills have become a big worry for the family.
synonyms:
anxiety, trouble
similar words:
bother, care, concern, difficulty, distress, dread, fear, headache, plague, problem, torment, tribulation, uncertainty, woe
Word CombinationsSubscriber feature About this feature
derivations: worried (adj.), worryingly (adv.), worrier (n.)
Word History
In Old English, worry meant "to strangle." In the English spoken later, in the 1500s, "worry" meant "to treat roughly." The sense of "to annoy or bother" was first used in 1671.
Word Builder: worry +
  • worried:
    feeling worry.
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  emotion