worry

The word “worry” means to feel anxious or uneasy about something. In plain terms, to feel or cause anxious unease about something.

“Worry” is pronounced WUH-ree (/ˈwʌ.ɹi/ in IPA).

Here is “worry” used in a sentence: “Don't worry — the flight isn't until tomorrow.”

Depending on how it is used, “worry” can be a verb and a noun.

The word “worry” comes from Old English. From Old English wyrgan, meaning "to strangle" — the sense softened over centuries from physical choking to mental "strangling" anxiety.

“Worry” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

“Worry” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to feel anxious or uneasy about something.

Worry is the mental habit of dwelling on specific possible problems, usually put into words in your head. Anxiety is a broader state of unease that involves the body too — a racing heart, tension, dread — and often has no single, clear cause. Worry is one common trigger of anxiety, but anxiety runs deeper and wider.

Stress is your reaction to real pressure or demands — a deadline, a heavy workload, a difficult event. Worry is the repetitive anxious thinking about what might go wrong, which can happen even when nothing stressful is currently upon you. Stress usually eases once the pressure passes, while worry can carry on regardless.

A little worry is normal and even useful, nudging you to prepare and take care. Constant worry is harmful: it can disturb sleep, raise stress, sap concentration, and wear down your mood and health over time. The problem is not worrying at all, but worrying so much that it stops you living comfortably.

The opposite of worrying is feeling calm, relaxed, or at ease. Instead of fretting over what might go wrong, you feel reassured and untroubled. Verbs like relax, rest easy, and stop fretting capture the contrast, as do phrases such as 'putting your mind at rest' or simply not giving something a second thought.