generally worried

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "generally worried" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to express a common or overall feeling of concern about a situation or topic. Example: "Many people are generally worried about the impact of climate change on future generations."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

When the first edition of Mr. Siegel's book appeared, in 1994, the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index hovered below 500, and the two men shared a general view about the market: Over history, investors had generally worried too much about stocks' riskiness, depressing their values.

The New York Times

"What the market is generally worried about for the entire week is how much softening we are going to see in the days and weeks ahead".

The New York Times

But automakers are generally worried that while it might be technologically possible to build higher-mileage vehicles, consumer demand for such vehicles has been weak, she said.

The New York Times

Until recently, publishers and retailers have hashed it out, with publishers generally worried that $9.99 -- not a magic number but the one that managed to hook digital readers -- devalued books in readers' minds.

The New York Times

People were generally worried that the Fed was pushing on a string.

Forbes

Real estate agents, Wolcott adds, are generally worried that their clients will be bombarded with pitches from other agents when using apps or websites, since that's basically what tends to happen.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

Central banks do not generally worry about asset-price inflation, except in so far (through the wealth effect) that it spills over into consumer prices.

The Economist

The world's top players generally worry more about the color of the backdrops at the ends of the courts, but they seem to like the darker court colors.

The New York Times - Sports

But crucially, the Republican Party is more ideologically homogenous and has moved farther to the right than Democrats have moved to the left, a phenomenon that's captured nicely in another graph: In this environment, G.O.P. senators generally worry more about primary challenges from more right-wing Republicans than they do about general election battles from Democrats.

The New Yorker

Amy Weir, the board's chair, said she found the report "disheartening, disappointing and generally worrying".

BBC

Amy Weir, chair of the Coventry Safeguarding Children Board, said she found the report "disheartening, disappointing and generally worrying".

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "generally worried" to convey a widespread or common feeling of concern, rather than an acute or immediate fear. For instance, "People are "generally worried" about the long-term effects of inflation."

Common error

Avoid using "generally worried" when a stronger emotion like fear or panic is more appropriate. "Generally worried" suggests a mild, persistent concern, not an overwhelming sense of dread.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "generally worried" functions as an adverbial modifier followed by an adjective. It modifies a noun or pronoun to describe a state of being in which concern is present in a non-specific or widespread manner. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "generally worried" is a grammatically correct and usable expression to convey a common feeling of concern. Ludwig AI analysis, supported by numerous examples from diverse sources like The New York Times and The Guardian, shows its prevalence in news and media, though its register remains neutral. While "generally worried" is typically acceptable, it's essential to avoid overstating the intensity of the worry and to select more appropriate terms if stronger emotions like fear or panic are involved. For slight variations, consider alternatives such as "typically anxious" or "usually concerned" to fine-tune the intended nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

typically anxious

Replaces "worried" with "anxious" and "generally" with "typically", implying a habitual state of anxiety.

broadly concerned

Replaces "generally" with "broadly", suggesting concern on a wide scale or scope.

usually concerned

Substitutes "worried" with "concerned" and "generally" with "usually", suggesting a common state of concern.

largely anxious

Replaces "generally" with "largely", emphasizing that anxiety is a significant part of the overall emotional state.

commonly apprehensive

Replaces "worried" with "apprehensive" and "generally" with "commonly", indicating a widespread feeling of unease.

frequently uneasy

Changes "worried" to "uneasy" and "generally" to "frequently", suggesting a recurring sense of discomfort.

widely stressed

Replaces "worried" with "stressed" and "generally" with "widely", indicating that stress is felt by many.

often fretful

Replaces "worried" with "fretful" and "generally" with "often", implying a repeated state of worry.

mostly bothered

Substitutes "worried" with "bothered" and "generally" with "mostly", emphasizing the irritating aspect of worry.

normally preoccupied

Changes "worried" to "preoccupied" and "generally" to "normally", shifting the focus to being mentally engaged with concerns.

FAQs

How can I use "generally worried" in a sentence?

You can use "generally worried" to describe a common or widespread feeling of concern. For example, "Citizens are generally worried about the rising crime rates."

What's a good alternative to "generally worried"?

Alternatives include "typically anxious", "usually concerned", or "commonly apprehensive" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "generally worry" instead of "generally worried"?

While "generally worry" can be grammatically correct, it has a different meaning. It suggests a tendency to worry in general, rather than describing a current state of being worried about something specific. "Generally worried" describes a state of being.

Which is more formal: "generally worried" or "usually concerned"?

"Usually concerned" is arguably slightly more formal than "generally worried", but both are acceptable in most contexts. The best choice depends on the overall tone and vocabulary of your writing.