he worries for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "he worries for" is not commonly used in written English and may sound awkward.
It can be used when expressing concern for someone's well-being or situation, but "he worries about" is more standard. Example: "He worries for his friend's health after hearing about the accident."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

He worries for her.

The New Yorker

For his part, Starchild — blond and buff — said that he was not concerned about being arrested himself, but that he worries for his co-workers.

The New York Times

Senator Hatch says he worries for citizens who cannot "legally reach for a firearm" when confronted by a gun-wielding predator.

The New York Times

"I can make jokes in Latin and my students can follow my jokes". But he worries for the future of the language in the Church.

BBC

He worries for people who lost their homes, those living in tents.

Los Angeles Times

When Orr spoke Thursday, he stressed his appreciation for police officers, but also recalled getting stopped by cops as a youth and said he worries for his son.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

Does he worry for his own safety?

The Guardian

Is he worried for students' wellbeing?

The Guardian

He admitted too, that he worried for his own future.

The Guardian

Him, because he worried for his kid's safety.

The Guardian

"I don't think so," he said when asked if he worried for his safety.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Opt for the more common and grammatically accepted phrase "he worries about" instead of "he worries for" to ensure clarity and avoid sounding awkward.

Common error

Avoid using "for" to express the object of someone's worry. The preposition "about" is the standard and preferred choice. For example, it's better to say "He worries about his children" rather than "He worries for his children".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "he worries for" functions as a verb phrase expressing concern or anxiety on the part of the subject. Ludwig AI notes that this construction is not as common as "he worries about".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "he worries for" does appear in various sources, including reputable ones like The New York Times and The Guardian, it's less common and considered grammatically awkward by many. Ludwig AI indicates that "he worries about" is the preferred and more standard construction. If you want to express concern, it's advisable to use alternatives like "he worries about", "he is concerned about", or "he cares about" to ensure clarity and grammatical correctness. Using the phrase "he worries for" may lead to confusion or sound unnatural to native English speakers.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

he worries about

This is the most direct and common alternative, replacing 'for' with 'about' to indicate concern.

he is concerned about

This alternative is more formal and emphasizes the feeling of concern.

he is anxious about

This expresses a stronger level of worry or unease.

his concern is for

This restructures the sentence to emphasize the object of concern, maintaining a formal tone.

he cares about

This highlights a general sense of caring and concern, which can encompass worry.

he is apprehensive about

This suggests a feeling of anxiety or fear about something that might happen.

he frets about

This implies persistent and excessive worrying.

he feels responsible for

This suggests a sense of duty or obligation contributing to the worry.

he is troubled by

This emphasizes that something is causing him worry or distress.

he is solicitous of

This conveys a sense of care and protectiveness, often implying worry.

FAQs

What's a more common way to say "he worries for"?

A more common and grammatically correct way to express the same sentiment is to say "he worries about". This phrasing is widely accepted and understood.

Is "he worries for" grammatically correct?

While you might find instances of "he worries for", it's generally considered less common and somewhat awkward. The more standard construction is "he worries about".

Can I use "he is concerned for" instead of "he worries for"?

Yes, "he is concerned for" is a valid alternative, though it often implies a more formal or detached level of concern than simply "he worries about".

What's the difference between "he worries for" and "he is worried about"?

The phrase "he is worried about" is a passive construction that's more natural and widely accepted. "He worries for" is less common and may sound unusual to native English speakers. Using "about" specifies the object of the worry more clearly.