worryingly

IPA/ˈwʌriɪŋli/
IPA/ˈwɜːriɪŋli/

worryingly — adverb

1. referring to a situation or piece of information that causes concern, especially

1.adverbB2
Definition

referring to a situation or piece of information that causes concern, especially when things seem to be getting worse or leading to a bad outcome

Example

The river level rose worryingly fast after three days of heavy rain.

worryingly + adjective (fast) — modifies intensifier

Worryingly, Gabriel's cough had not improved despite a full course of medicine.

sentence adverb at start of clause

Common collocations
  • worryingly high
  • worryingly low
  • worryingly fast
  • worryingly slow
  • worryingly close
  • worryingly common
  • worryingly easy
Synonyms
  • alarmingly

    suggests a stronger, more urgent sense of danger

  • concerningly

    slightly more formal; common in written reports

  • disturbingly

    implies a deeper unease or moral discomfort

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

worryingly + adjective

Worryingly, + clause

Usage Note

Often used as a sentence adverb at the start of a clause ("Worryingly, …") or to modify an adjective ("worryingly high," "worryingly fast"). More frequent in news reports and formal writing than in casual conversation.

Common Mistakes

She glanced worryingly at the clock.
She glanced worriedly at the clock.
'worryingly' means causing worry in others; 'worriedly' means the subject feels worried themselves.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

All four adverbs describe something that causes unease, but they differ in strength and focus. 'Worryingly' is the most general — it describes anything that creates anxiety about what might happen next (e.g. 'worryingly high inflation'). 'Alarmingly' carries a sharper sense of immediate danger or shock — something that makes you sit up and take notice ('alarmingly fast spread of the virus'). 'Disturbingly' adds a layer of moral or emotional discomfort — it suggests something is wrong in a deeper, more unsettling way ('disturbingly casual attitude toward violence'). 'Concerningly' is the most formal and neutral, often used in official statements or reports ('concerningly low voter turnout'). In everyday conversation, 'worryingly' is by far the most natural choice; the others sound more dramatic or deliberate.

worryingly ↗alarmingly ↗disturbingly ↗concerningly

Common collocations

Phrases

  • worryingly high
  • worryingly low
  • worryingly fast
  • worryingly slow
  • worryingly close
  • worryingly common
  • worryingly easy

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Formed in English by adding the adverb suffix '-ly' to the adjective 'worrying', which comes from the verb 'worry' (meaning 'to cause anxiety'). The verb 'worry' entered English from Old English 'wyrgan' meaning 'to strangle', which later shifted through the idea of 'harassing' or 'bothering' to the modern sense of 'feeling anxious'.