ought to be concerned

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "ought to be concerned" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when expressing a moral obligation or a strong recommendation for someone to feel worry or anxiety about a particular issue. Example: "Given the recent events, we ought to be concerned about the safety of our community."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

41 human-written examples

Hume acknowledges that his second group of natural virtues owes a debt to the Stoic view that a virtuous person ought to be concerned with the welfare of all human beings, whether they be intimate or stranger; and in describing the first group of natural virtues, Hume looks to Socrates as someone who has achieved a kind of inner calm and self-esteem.

SEP

"The N.A.S.D," he said, "ought to be concerned".

The New York Times

We ought to be concerned about espionage in America.

The New York Times

Are there any practical consequences that we ought to be concerned about?

The Guardian - Opinion

And anytime the government uses violence to send a message, we ought to be concerned.

The Washington Post

But I wouldn't bet on it, which is why we ought to be concerned.

The Guardian - Tech

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

19 human-written examples

The Supreme Court, you might think, ought to be concerning itself exclusively with matters weighty and arcane -- cases that involve phrases like habeas corpus and ipso facto and novissima verba.

The New York Times

If this is the case, then, that we are experiencing a generation of entrepreneurs who prioritize the phenomenon of entrepreneurship over its justification, we ought to be concerning ourselves as a community with teaching folks not only how to get into the entrepreneurship game but how to find their purpose as well.

TechCrunch

While there are important historical divergences between Trump and Hitler, the parallels in their policy choices and their extolling of authoritarianism ought to be concerning enough to venture where political discourse seldom should go.

Huffington Post

There ought to be concern, among western democracies, about how easy it is to use forged or stolen passports.

Huffington Post

But if policies like free trade and outsourcing create greater inequality (indeed, even if there is a perception that they might create greater inequality), then voters might use a "different rationality" to reject them.You can imagine the howls of protest from fundamentalist economists, bellowing from the pulpit that people "ought not" to be concerned with relative prosperity.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "ought to be concerned", clearly state the reason for concern to provide context and ensure the audience understands the potential risks or implications.

Common error

Avoid overusing "ought to be concerned", as it can sound overly formal or preachy. Opt for alternatives like "should be worried" or "need to pay attention" to maintain a balanced tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "ought to be concerned" functions as a modal expression, indicating a sense of advisability, obligation, or necessity to feel worry or anxiety about something. As confirmed by Ludwig, this phrase is considered grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "ought to be concerned" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression conveying a reasoned sense of advisability or obligation to worry about a specific matter. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is most common in news and media, science, and formal business contexts, reflecting a neutral to formal register. While effective, overuse should be avoided in favor of alternatives like "should be worried" or "need to pay attention" to prevent the tone from becoming overly formal. When using the phrase, providing clear context is essential for effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

should be worried

Replaces "ought to" with a more common synonym, "should", maintaining the sense of advisability but slightly reducing the formality.

need to be concerned

Emphasizes the necessity of concern, slightly stronger than "ought to".

must be concerned

Conveys a stronger sense of obligation or requirement to be worried.

should be paying attention

Shifts focus from worry to active observation and attentiveness.

need to pay attention

Similar to "should be paying attention" but more emphatic about the necessity of attention.

should take heed

Implies a need to listen and consider the implications of a situation.

must take heed

Stronger than "should take heed", emphasizing the critical importance of paying attention.

it's crucial to worry

Highlights the importance of worry, useful when emphasizing the gravity of a situation.

warrants concern

Focuses on the situation itself justifying concern, rather than directing concern to an individual.

gives cause for alarm

Emphasizes the alarming nature of a situation, potentially indicating a higher level of severity than "ought to be concerned".

FAQs

What does "ought to be concerned" mean?

The phrase "ought to be concerned" expresses a moral obligation or a strong recommendation to feel worry or anxiety about a particular issue.

How can I use "ought to be concerned" in a sentence?

You can use it to express concern about something. For example, "Given the recent events, we ought to be concerned about the safety of our community."

What can I say instead of "ought to be concerned"?

You can use alternatives like "should be worried", "need to be concerned", or "must be concerned", depending on the context.

When is it appropriate to use "ought to be concerned" instead of "should be concerned"?

"Ought to be concerned" is a more formal way of saying "should be concerned". Use it when you want to sound more authoritative or express a stronger moral obligation.