genuinely concerning

USAGE SUMMARY

"genuinely concerning" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to express sincere worry or alarm about a situation or issue. Example: "The rise in pollution levels is genuinely concerning for public health." Alternative expressions include "truly alarming" and "seriously troubling."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Which stories are genuinely concerning and which should be ignored?

The Guardian

"It is genuinely concerning that since 2014 began, we are seeing such a high level of calls to our debt helpline," says Barlow.

The Guardian

And genuinely concerning.

Huffington Post

But Tushnet raises a genuinely concerning possibility--the possibility that legal professionals' understanding of the rule of law that the Constitution is designed to establish might erode to the point where judges frequently uphold unlawful assertions of government power.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

"He sounded genuinely concerned".

The New Yorker

"He's genuinely concerned.

The Guardian - Music

"She is genuinely concerned.

The New York Times

She seemed genuinely concerned.

The New York Times - Magazine

He looks genuinely concerned.

The Guardian

I am genuinely, genuinely concerned".

The Guardian

"Personally?" the director asks, genuinely concerned.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair this phrase with specific evidence or data to justify the use of the word "genuinely", which implies a factual basis for the worry.

Common error

Do not confuse the present participle adjective used for situations ("genuinely concerning") with the past participle used for people's feelings ("genuinely concerned"). A report is concerning, but a researcher is concerned.

Linguistic Context

In the phrase "genuinely concerning", the adverb "genuinely" acts as an intensifier for the present participle "concerning", which functions as an adjective. According to Ludwig, this structure is used to validate the speaker's emotional response as being based on reality rather than hyperbole.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Formal & Business

10%

Academia

5%

Less common in

Science

2%

Social Media

2%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "genuinely concerning" is a powerful linguistic tool for expressing serious, evidence-based alarm. While the exact string appears less frequently in Ludwig's database than its counterpart "genuinely concerned", it remains a staple of high-quality journalism. It is used to describe situations, trends or news that warrant deep attention. Its strength lies in the word "genuinely", which serves to reassure the reader that the concern is not exaggerated or performative. When writing, ensure you are describing a situation rather than a person's state of mind to maintain grammatical accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

truly alarming

Increases the sense of urgency and immediate danger.

seriously troubling

Focuses more on the intellectual or ethical discomfort caused by a situation.

deeply worrying

Emphasizes the emotional depth of the concern felt.

really disturbing

Suggests the situation is upsetting or unsettling to one's peace of mind.

genuinely distressing

Highlights the pain or sorrow resulting from the problematic situation.

actually frightening

Shifts the focus from worry to a more visceral sense of fear.

sincerely bothersome

Slightly less intense, suggesting irritation combined with worry.

very problematic

A more clinical or objective way to describe a difficult situation.

quite unsettling

Describes something that makes one feel uneasy or lacks stability.

fairly ominous

Suggests that the situation is a bad sign for the future.

FAQs

How do I use "genuinely concerning" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe a situation or trend, for example: "The recent drop in literacy rates is "genuinely concerning" for educators."

What can I say instead of "genuinely concerning"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "truly alarming", "deeply worrying" or "seriously troubling".

Is "genuinely concerning" grammatically correct?

Yes, it is perfectly correct. The adverb "genuinely" modifies the adjective "concerning" to emphasize the sincerity of the worry. Ludwig AI confirms its frequent use in professional journalism.

What is the difference between "genuinely concerning" and "genuinely concerned"?

Use "genuinely concerning" to describe an alarming thing or event, and ""genuinely concerned"" to describe a person who feels worried.