worrisome

Word family

• worry
  verbA2
• worried
  adjectiveA2
• worrying
  adjectiveB1
• worrier
  nounC1
• worryingly
  adverbB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe something that causes unease, but they differ in strength and context. 'Worrying' is the most common and neutral — it fits everyday situations ('a worrying delay'). 'Concerning' is more detached and professional, typical of reports or official statements ('concerning patterns in the data'). 'Troubling' adds a layer of moral or emotional disturbance ('a troubling lack of honesty'). 'Alarming' is the strongest, suggesting immediate danger or urgency ('an alarming rise in cases'). Use 'worrisome' when you want a slightly softer, more measured tone than 'alarming' but stronger than mild concern. For example: 'The teacher found the drop in class participation worrying' (everyday); 'The principal called the trend worrisome' (measured, serious but not panicked); 'The superintendent described the decline as alarming' (urgent, calling for action).

Common collocations

Etymology

Formed in English around the early 1800s by combining 'worry' (from Old English 'wyrgan', originally meaning 'to strangle', later 'to harass' and then 'to cause anxiety') with the suffix '-some' (from Old English '-sum', meaning 'tending to' or 'causing'). The word emerged in American English and remained more common there than in British English through the 20th century.