grave worry

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "grave worry" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to express a serious concern or anxiety about a particular situation or issue. Example: "The recent rise in crime rates has caused grave worry among the residents of the neighborhood."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

At the end, money was a grave worry for Sartre.

The Guardian

The Foreign Office had previously expressed grave worry about the torture allegations, calling in a senior Thai diplomat in London.

The Guardian

Mr. Kerry, an author of a major $7.5 billion package of civilian aid to Pakistan, said he had warned the Pakistani leadership of the "grave" worry in Congress about the presence of Bin Laden in Pakistan.

The New York Times

Likewise, there is grave worry about the international community, which must continue to prioritize humanitarian action as an immediate focus of these peace talks.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

A trans-Africa highway should eventually run from Mombasa through Kenya and Uganda and even across Congo to the Atlantic.Danger: exploding light-bulbsAgainst this hopeful backdrop, grave worries persist.

The Economist

Financial experts are expressing grave worries about the solvency of China's banking system, which may have a bad-loan problem several times as bad as Japan's.

The New York Times

But American officials and Western security analysts say there are grave worries that once the weapons inherited by rebels have been made accessible and reach unsupervised hands, opportunistic smugglers can match them to potential buyers.

The New York Times

Mme Malay prophesies that Gen. de Gaulle's health will cause "grave worries...in the middle of the year"; that the Algerian war will not stop; and that a new, extremely active political party will arise in France.

The New Yorker

It expressed grave worries about deteriorating physical and mental health services at the Bedfordshire facility, saying many detainees found medical staff "dismissive" and unwilling to take their concerns seriously.

The Guardian

Mr Taylor's lighter approach may be more palatable than that, particularly to the economic and monetary affairs committee of the European Parliament, which has grave worries about the potential effect of Basel 2 on Europe's patchwork of small banks and medium-sized companies.Pragmatists put the chances of Mr Taylor's multiplier at this stage at close to zero.

The Economist

Ben Goldacre, who publishes the Bad Science blog, had this to say back in 2011: "I have one humble question: why, in over five years of appearing in the media raising these grave worries, has Professor Greenfield of Oxford University never simply published the claims in an academic paper?" She's dismissive of Goldacre, saying she has never met him or spoken to him.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "grave worry", ensure the context aligns with a genuinely serious or significant concern, as the phrase implies a high degree of importance.

Common error

Avoid using "grave worry" in contexts that are not genuinely serious or significant. Overusing the phrase can diminish its impact and credibility.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "grave worry" is to act as a noun phrase, typically serving as the object of a verb or preposition to express a significant level of concern. Ludwig confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "grave worry" is used to express a significant level of concern, as verified by Ludwig. It is grammatically correct and most frequently found in news and media contexts. While not exceedingly common, it effectively conveys a sense of serious anxiety. Consider alternatives like "serious concern" or "deep concern" depending on the desired nuance. Using "grave worry" implies a high degree of importance, so reserve it for genuinely significant situations. Its strength lies in its ability to immediately signal the weight of a particular concern.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

serious concern

Replaces "grave worry" with more common synonyms for both adjectives and nouns, maintaining a similar level of formality.

deep concern

Substitutes "grave" with "deep", emphasizing the intensity of the worry, while remaining relatively formal.

profound worry

Uses "profound" to indicate a deeply felt or significant worry.

acute anxiety

Shifts from "worry" to "anxiety", suggesting a more intense and immediate state of concern.

great apprehension

Employs "apprehension" to convey a sense of unease about future events.

significant unease

Replaces "worry" with "unease", indicating a feeling of discomfort and anxiety.

serious misgivings

Uses "misgivings" to suggest doubts or hesitations about something, creating a sense of worry.

intense disquiet

Emphasizes the disturbance and unrest caused by the worry, using more formal vocabulary.

considerable anxiety

Replaces "grave" with "considerable", which focuses on a notable level of worry or concern.

substantial concern

Uses "substantial" to highlight the significant degree of concern about a matter.

FAQs

What does "grave worry" mean?

The phrase "grave worry" signifies a serious or significant concern. It implies that the situation causing the worry is of considerable importance and could have severe consequences.

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

You can use "grave worry" to express deep concern about a particular issue. For instance, "The environmental impact of the oil spill caused "serious concern" among conservationists".

Which is more appropriate, "grave worry" or ""serious concern""?

Both "grave worry" and ""serious concern"" are appropriate, but "grave worry" suggests a higher level of seriousness or potential consequences compared to the more general phrase ""serious concern"".

What are some alternatives to "grave worry"?

Alternatives to "grave worry" include "deep concern", "profound worry", or "acute anxiety". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.