Refine this word faster

Stronger alternatives Opposite tone Use in context Cross-language nuance

Worry

//ˈwʌ.ɹi// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A strong feeling of anxiety. countable, uncountable

    "I'm afflicted by worry throughout the night."

  2. 2
    something or someone that causes anxiety; a source of unhappiness wordnet
  3. 3
    An instance or cause of such a feeling. countable, uncountable

    "My main worry is that I'll miss the train."

  4. 4
    a strong feeling of anxiety wordnet
  5. 5
    A person who causes worry. countable, uncountable

    "They could never make him speak a word, although he was old enough, in short, he was a perfect worry night and day."

Verb
  1. 1
    To be troubled; to give way to mental anxiety or doubt. intransitive

    "So you go along for a long time / And nothing seems to worry your mind / But what it adds up to / It's the side effect / That finally gets to you"

  2. 2
    touch or rub constantly wordnet
  3. 3
    Disturb the peace of mind of; afflict with mental agitation or distress; to exercise. transitive

    "Your tone of voice worries me."

  4. 4
    lacerate by biting wordnet
  5. 5
    To harass; to irritate or distress. transitive

    "The President was worried into military action by persistent advisors."

Show 7 more definitions
  1. 6
    disturb the peace of mind of; afflict with mental agitation or distress wordnet
  2. 7
    To seize or shake by the throat, especially of a dog or wolf. transitive

    "Your dog’s been worrying sheep again."

  3. 8
    be concerned with wordnet
  4. 9
    To touch repeatedly; to fiddle with. transitive

    "Christian paced the caravan, worrying his beard."

  5. 10
    be worried, concerned, anxious, troubled, or uneasy wordnet
  6. 11
    To strangle. Scotland, obsolete, transitive

    "We read (Law's Memor. Pref. lix.) that "one John Brugh, a notorious warlock (wizard) in the parochin of Fossoquhy, by the space of thirty-six years, was worried at a stake and burned, 1643.""

  7. 12
    be on the mind of wordnet

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English worien, werien, wirien, wirwen, wyryȝen (“to choke, strangle”), from Old English wyrġan, from Proto-Germanic *wurgijaną, from Proto-Indo-European *werǵʰ- (“bind, squeeze”). Cognate with Dutch worgen, wurgen, German würgen. Compare Latin urgere (“to press, push”), Sanskrit वृहति (vṛhati, “to tear out, pluck”), Lithuanian ver̃žti (“to string; squeeze”), Russian (poetic) отверза́ть (otverzátʹ, “to open”, literally “to untie”). Related to wring.

Etymology 2

From Middle English worien, werien, wirien, wirwen, wyryȝen (“to choke, strangle”), from Old English wyrġan, from Proto-Germanic *wurgijaną, from Proto-Indo-European *werǵʰ- (“bind, squeeze”). Cognate with Dutch worgen, wurgen, German würgen. Compare Latin urgere (“to press, push”), Sanskrit वृहति (vṛhati, “to tear out, pluck”), Lithuanian ver̃žti (“to string; squeeze”), Russian (poetic) отверза́ть (otverzátʹ, “to open”, literally “to untie”). Related to wring.

See also for "worry"

Synonyms Antonyms Rhymes Sentences Translate Word Type Pronunciation Word Forms

Next best steps

Find stronger synonymsSee usage examplesCheck pronunciation

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: worry