be worried of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "be worried of" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct expression is "be worried about." Example: "I tend to be worried about the future and what it holds for us."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Furthermore, large firms might be worried of the reinstatement in the firm of poorly motivated employees after the attempted firing1.

IZA Journal of Labor Economics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

I was worried of reprisals.

The New York Times

You are worried of the fear of the unknown.

The New York Times

Everyone was worried, of course, about the racial profiling".

The New York Times

She is worried, of course, that she might be seen as having contributed to this.

The New Yorker

He is worried of course because he knows that the media is becoming the most powerful entity in Pakistan now".

The New York Times - Magazine

"I am worried of the danger of getting into another housing bubble," the business secretary told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show.

The Guardian - Money

"I was worried, of course, but in our life together we had been in many dangerous situations.

The Guardian

"I am worried of the danger of getting into another housing bubble," Mr Cable told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show.

BBC

Palestinian residents are worried of an oncoming campaign of collective punishment throughout the occupied territories.

Vice

Fereshteh hopes that her students will go on to thrive in society "without being worried of physical or geographical distances.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "be worried about" instead of "be worried of". The preposition "about" is the standard and grammatically correct choice in modern English.

Common error

Avoid using "of" after "worried". The correct preposition is "about". For example, instead of saying "I am worried of the outcome", say "I am worried about the outcome".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be worried of" functions as a verb phrase intended to express a state of concern or anxiety. However, Ludwig AI indicates that this construction is not standard English. The correct and commonly used form is "be worried about".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Science

24%

Wiki

16%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "be worried of" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in modern English. Ludwig AI flags this as non-standard. The correct and preferred phrase is "be worried about". While some examples of "be worried of" appear in various sources, they are infrequent and should be avoided in favor of the grammatically correct alternative. Remember to use "about" instead of "of" to express your concerns accurately and clearly.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

be worried about

Uses the correct preposition "about" instead of "of" to express concern.

feel worried about

Adds the verb "feel" to emphasize the experience of worry, while maintaining the correct preposition "about".

be concerned about

Replaces "worried" with a more formal synonym "concerned", while also using the correct preposition "about".

be anxious about

Substitutes "worried" with "anxious", indicating a higher level of worry or nervousness, and uses the preposition "about".

be nervous about

Employs "nervous" to express a state of agitation or anxiety, using "about" to specify the cause.

be apprehensive about

Employs "apprehensive" to suggest a feeling of unease or dread about something in the future, using the appropriate preposition "about".

be uneasy about

Uses "uneasy" to convey a sense of discomfort or anxiety, accompanied by the preposition "about".

have concerns about

Shifts the focus to "concerns" as a noun, indicating specific issues that cause worry, and uses "about" to link to the subject of concern.

be fearful of

Replaces "worried" with "fearful", suggesting a stronger emotional response of fear, using the preposition "of".

be afraid of

A more direct and common way to express fear or worry, employing the preposition "of".

FAQs

What's the correct way to say I'm feeling anxious?

The correct way to express feeling anxious is "I'm "worried about"", "I'm "concerned about"", or "I'm "anxious about"" something. Using "of" is grammatically incorrect.

Is it ever correct to use "be worried of"?

In contemporary standard English, "be worried of" is generally considered incorrect. The correct and widely accepted form is "be worried about".

What are some alternatives to "be worried about"?

You can use phrases like "be concerned about", "be anxious about", or "be apprehensive about" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

What's the difference between "be worried of" and "be worried about"?

"Be worried of" is not considered standard English. "Be worried about" is the grammatically correct and commonly used phrase to express concern or anxiety.