worrisome

adjective

wor·​ri·​some ˈwər-ē-səm 

ˈwə-rē-

1

: causing distress or worry

worrisome news

2

: inclined to worry or fret

investors feeling worrisome

worrisomely adverb

worrisomeness noun

Synonyms

• discomforting
• discomposing
• disquieting
• distressing
• disturbing
• nagging
• nasty
• perturbing
• troublesome
• troubling
• troublous
• unsettling
• upsetting

Examples of worrisome in a Sentence

There is the worrisome possibility of hurricane damage on the coast.

the patient's erratic behavior has become increasingly worrisome

Recent Examples on the Web

Despite the worrisome trends, there is no sign of an imminent crisis. —Rob Wile, NBC News, 22 Feb. 2025

There is a perhaps more worrisome concern beyond just potentially wasting time and processing cycles. —Lance Eliot, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025

Naturally the prospect of a large ball of rock tens of meters across striking the planet is a little worrisome. —Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 19 Feb. 2025

On 11 January, Qadri headed back to the Rohingya camps, where workers were about to launch another round of cholera vaccinations, in response to a worrisome rise in cases. —Bymartin Enserink, science.org, 6 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

worrisome

adjective

wor·​ri·​some ˈwər-ē-səm 

ˈwə-rē-

1

: causing worry

worrisome news

2

: given to worrying

worrisome parents