Well-founded concern

USAGE SUMMARY

"well-founded concern" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when referring to a worry or apprehension that is based on solid evidence or reasoning. Example: "The community expressed a well-founded concern about the environmental impact of the new development." Alternative expressions include "justified concern" and "valid concern."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

And the only way I've found to deal with that sincere and well-founded concern is to let the person run down after a while and then ask as gently as I can whether feeling that way makes them more effective.

The New Yorker

There was a well-founded concern that protests could turn violent and chaotic, not to mention the fear of terrorism.

The New York Times

The condition of many of the Time Inc. prints on view at Mr. Greenberg's gallery attest to a well-founded concern.

The New York Times - Arts

Whether antibiotic prophylaxis induces bacterial resistance is a well-founded concern.

Annals of Intensive Care

Some Taiwanese even fear that the Kuomintang will cancel the 2012 presidential election, and with each passing week that fear seems less like a partisan rant and more like a well-founded concern.

Forbes

The security of JavaScript applications is a well-founded concern.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

"The current public health advice is dominated by well-founded concerns about skin cancer.

Independent

But there were also well-founded concerns about how well that system was working, and whether it was being abused.

The New York Times

"It is my hope and will be my mission to see that Senator Lautenberg's longstanding and well-founded concerns are not forgotten," Mr. Menendez wrote.

The New York Times

"The Israelis have traditional and well-founded concerns about international investigations," said a senior administration official, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

The New York Times

On Thursday, Foreign Minister Igor S. Ivanov phoned Secretary of State Colin L. Powell to tell him of Moscow's "well-founded concerns" about the American involvement, a Foreign Ministry statement said.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "well-founded concern", ensure that you can clearly articulate the basis or evidence that justifies the concern. Avoid vague assertions without supporting details.

Common error

Avoid labeling a concern as "well-founded" simply because it's widely held. A concern is only truly well-founded if it's supported by evidence or logical reasoning, not just popular opinion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "well-founded concern" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "well-founded" modifies the noun "concern". It describes a specific type of worry or apprehension that is based on credible evidence or logical reasoning, as validated by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

2%

Academia

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "well-founded concern" is a phrase used to describe a worry or apprehension that is based on solid evidence or reasoning. Ludwig AI confirms that it's grammatically correct and commonly found in neutral to professional contexts like news articles and formal reports. While alternatives like "justified worry" or "legitimate concern" exist, it's crucial to ensure the concern is genuinely supported by evidence, avoiding misattribution based on popular opinion alone. The phrase is most often encountered in News & Media and Scientific contexts, as indicated by Ludwig.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Justified worry

Replaces "concern" with "worry" and "well-founded" with its synonym "justified".

Valid apprehension

Replaces "concern" with "apprehension" and "well-founded" with its synonym "valid".

Legitimate concern

Replaces "well-founded" with "legitimate", indicating the concern is based on truth or reason.

Reasonable apprehension

Replaces "valid" with "reasonable", indicating that apprehension is appropriate in the situation.

Substantiated fear

Replaces "concern" with "fear", suggesting a stronger emotional response, and "well-founded" with "substantiated", implying evidence supports the fear.

Warranted anxiety

Replaces "concern" with "anxiety" and "well-founded" with "warranted", indicating the anxiety is justified.

Grounded misgivings

Employs "misgivings" in place of "concern", suggesting a feeling of doubt, with "grounded" replacing "well-founded" to imply a firm basis.

Justifiable unease

Substitutes "concern" with "unease", representing mild anxiety, and "well-founded" with "justifiable", implying it's defensible.

Substantial worry

Focuses on the intensity of the worry rather than its foundation. "Substantial" indicates a significant level of worry.

Corroborated concern

Replaces "well-founded" with "corroborated", indicating the concern has been confirmed by evidence.

FAQs

How can I use "well-founded concern" in a sentence?

You can use "well-founded concern" to describe a worry or apprehension that is based on solid evidence or reasoning. For example, "The community expressed a "well-founded concern" about the environmental impact of the new development."

What can I say instead of "well-founded concern"?

You can use alternatives like "justified worry", "valid apprehension", or "legitimate concern" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "well-founded concern" or "unfounded concern"?

"Well-founded concern" refers to a worry based on evidence, while "unfounded concern" indicates a worry lacking a factual basis. They are opposites and both grammatically correct, but their use depends on the context.

What's the difference between "well-founded concern" and "general anxiety"?

"Well-founded concern" specifically points to a worry rooted in reality or evidence, whereas general anxiety is a broader term encompassing feelings of unease that may not have a specific cause or factual basis.