elicit worry

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "elicit worry" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing something that causes concern or anxiety in a person or group. Example: "The recent changes in policy may elicit worry among the employees about job security."

✓ Grammatically correct

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

Huffington Post

Science Magazine

BMC Health Services Research

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health

Independent

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

TechCrunch

SEP

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

The New York Times

The New York Times - Health

The New York Times - Magazine

Bandung: Journal of the Global South

The Guardian

The Economist

WikiHow

Plosone

British Journal of Cancer

Erkenntnis

BMC Infectious Diseases

Health Research Policy and Systems

The New Yorker

The New Yorker - Sports

The New Yorker - Books

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The Worry about Cancer Scale was based on cognitive-behavioral theory, and focused on perceptual cues that could elicit worry.

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

She was beautiful in the way that demands to be photographed, but also in a way that elicits worry.

Huffington Post

Coastal and marine spatial planning in particular has elicited worries that local and regional interests will be excluded from decision-making processes.

Science Magazine

From the quote above, a positive HIV test result triggered interest for women to protect their babies from HIV infection but also elicited worries in some women on how to maintain healthy lives and guarantee growth and survival of their children.

BMC Health Services Research

The psychiatric symptoms, mainly sub-threshold depression, the loss, the suicidal interest and actual stressful conflict that suicide victims aged 15 years and younger experienced, did not elicit enough worry among the caregivers to engage professional help at the actual time.

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health

His words, and the applause they elicited, will worry David Cameron, who has desperately tried to assure voters that the NHS is safe in Tory hands.

Independent

PT-SH In this example, the physiotherapist claims to attempt to elicit patients' worries, preconceptions and prior beliefs about their pain problem, as a route to opening up discussion about the possible impact on their job.

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

Companies buying media always elicits concern.

TechCrunch

Bridgman's ambivalence about conceptual unity elicited a serious worry about the systematic import of scientific concepts and theories, most astutely expressed by Hempel (1966, 91 97).

SEP

The development of the booklet involved semi-structured interviews carried out by a trained nurse who would elicit the issues that worried women during the first day, first week and first month after delivery.

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

When the neutral stimulus (the rock or the sound of an airplane) later occurs, it automatically activates the amygdala like the original danger did, eliciting fear, and also triggers worry — anxiety.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "elicit worry" when you want to emphasize a specific action or event that directly causes concern or anxiety. It's particularly effective when highlighting the source of the worry.

Common error

Be careful not to confuse "elicit" (to evoke or draw out) with "illicit" (illegal or forbidden). Although they sound similar, their meanings are entirely different, and using the wrong one can drastically change the meaning of your sentence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "elicit worry" functions as a verb-noun combination where "elicit" (verb) signifies the act of bringing forth or evoking, and "worry" (noun) represents the state of anxiety or concern that is evoked. Ludwig confirms this usage by providing examples where "elicit" directly leads to a state of concern or anxiety.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

21%

Science

55%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "elicit worry" is a grammatically sound and semantically valid expression used to describe the act of causing or prompting concern. While it's not a highly frequent phrase, as pointed out by Ludwig, it is appropriate for use in formal and neutral contexts, particularly when emphasizing the source of the worry. Ludwig's examples show that "elicit worry" often appears in scientific publications, news articles, and other authoritative sources. To avoid potential confusion, remember not to mistake "elicit" with "illicit". Alternative phrases like "provoke anxiety" or "arouse concern" can be used depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

provoke anxiety

Focuses more on the emotional response of anxiety rather than the broader sense of worry.

arouse concern

Implies a milder form of worry, closer to concern than intense anxiety.

generate apprehension

Emphasizes the feeling of unease or anticipation of future problems.

instill unease

Highlights the action of placing a feeling of discomfort or anxiety within someone.

foster disquiet

Suggests a gradual development of worry or unease.

spark trepidation

Implies a sudden and intense feeling of fear or anxiety.

raise anxieties

Focuses specifically on increasing existing anxieties.

prompt unease

A more direct and immediate causation of unease.

induce concern

Highlights the act of persuading or leading to a state of concern.

create disquiet

Focuses on the action of bringing disquiet into existence.

FAQs

How can I use "elicit worry" in a sentence?

Use "elicit worry" to describe situations or actions that cause someone to feel anxious or concerned. For example: "The company's restructuring plans are likely to elicit worry among employees."

What's a good alternative to "elicit worry"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "provoke anxiety", "arouse concern", or "generate apprehension".

Is it better to say "elicit worry" or "cause worry"?

"Elicit worry" is more formal and emphasizes the source that produces the worry, while "cause worry" is simpler and more direct. The best choice depends on the tone and formality of your writing.

What does "elicit" mean in the context of "elicit worry"?

In this context, "elicit" means to draw out, evoke, or bring forth the feeling of worry. It highlights that something is prompting or causing the worry to arise.