CONCERN Synonyms: 233 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'concern' distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of concern are anxiety , care , solicitude , and worry . While all these words mean "a troubled or engrossed state of mind or the thing that causes this," concern implies a troubled state of mind because of personal interest, relation, or affection. // crimes caused concern in the neighborhood

Q: When could 'anxiety' be used to replace 'concern'?

In some situations, the words anxiety and concern are roughly equivalent. However, anxiety stresses anguished uncertainty or fear of misfortune or failure. // plagued by anxiety and self-doubt

Q: When is 'care' a more appropriate choice than 'concern'?

The words care and concern are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, care implies oppression of the mind weighed down by responsibility or disquieted by apprehension. // a face worn by years of care

Q: When can 'solicitude' be used instead of 'concern'?

The synonyms solicitude and concern are sometimes interchangeable, but solicitude implies great concern and connotes either thoughtful or hovering attentiveness toward another. // acted with typical maternal solicitude

Q: When is it sensible to use 'worry' instead of 'concern'?

While the synonyms worry and concern are close in meaning, worry suggests fretting over matters that may or may not be real cause for anxiety. // financial worries

concern 1 of 2

noun

Definition of concern next

as in interest

a commercial or industrial activity or organization several banking concerns in the area

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in worry

an uneasy state of mind usually over the possibility of an anticipated misfortune or trouble the recent crime wave has caused a great deal of concern in the neighborhood

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

concern

2 of 2

verb

kən-ˈsərn

as in to cover

to have (something) as a subject matter the book concerns the challenges faced by children growing up in single-parent households

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to affect

to be the business or affair of the problems of air and water pollution that concern all of us

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in to worry

to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy we were greatly concerned by reports that yet another previously unknown virus is now posing a threat

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word concern distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of concern are anxiety, care, solicitude, and worry. While all these words mean "a troubled or engrossed state of mind or the thing that causes this," concern implies a troubled state of mind because of personal interest, relation, or affection.

crimes caused concern in the neighborhood

When could anxiety be used to replace concern?

In some situations, the words anxiety and concern are roughly equivalent. However, anxiety stresses anguished uncertainty or fear of misfortune or failure.

plagued by anxiety and self-doubt

When is care a more appropriate choice than concern?

The words care and concern are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, care implies oppression of the mind weighed down by responsibility or disquieted by apprehension.

a face worn by years of care

When can solicitude be used instead of concern?

The synonyms solicitude and concern are sometimes interchangeable, but solicitude implies great concern and connotes either thoughtful or hovering attentiveness toward another.

acted with typical maternal solicitude

When is it sensible to use worry instead of concern?

While the synonyms worry and concern are close in meaning, worry suggests fretting over matters that may or may not be real cause for anxiety.

financial worries

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of concern

Noun

Among them: a culture that didn't like to hear safety concerns from lower-level engineers. —

Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 28 Jan. 2025 Lifting their lips Growling Baring their teeth Addressing Resource Guarding If a dog displays resource guarding, owners are encouraged to consult a veterinarian to rule out underlying medical issues, as behavioral changes or aggression could indicate health concerns. —

Barbara A. Perry, Newsweek, 28 Jan. 2025

Verb

Although concerning for Georgia deer hunters, the discovery is not all that surprising given the extent of the disease’s spread in the South. —

Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 24 Jan. 2025 On Monday, a day before Faber's incident in D.C., the Carlisle Police Department had responded to a well-being check concerning the 27-year-old. —

John Yoo and John Shu, Newsweek, 24 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for concern

Recent Examples of Synonyms for concern

Noun

However, 2024 numbers showed a waning interest in Tesla's core vehicles, the Model 3 and Y. After years of delays, the Cybertruck was Tesla's big 2024 offering, but the company didn't revamp the rest of its lineup.

— Will McCurdy, PCMAG, 26 Jan. 2025
The brutal killing — and President Woodrow Wilson’s concerns about Germany’s growing economic interests and influence in Haiti — led to 19 years of U.S. occupation.

— Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2025