worry away

USAGE SUMMARY

"worry away" is both correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to someone who is worrying excessively, perhaps about something that may or may not actually occur. For example, "John was worrying away about his upcoming exam, despite having studied diligently for weeks."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

24 human-written examples

Girls – how we worry away at them.

The Guardian - Opinion

We thought this was absolutely fascinating to worry away at.

The Guardian

Meanwhile we are free to worry away at our leisure.

The New York Times

But Ollie — and this helps explain his longevity — shrugged such worry away.

The New York Times - Sports

Art historians tend to worry away at the moral propriety of these pictures.

The Guardian - Books

After that conversation, Gilligan began to worry away at the character that would become Walter White.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

36 human-written examples

Nowadays, the majority of economists confidently wave such worries away.

The Economist

Breathe in the fresh air, hum along with our original music, and relax your worries away!

Stanford University

They are now worrying away at the issue of labelling, with some success.

The Economist

But these public figures would only express their worries away from the camera.

The Guardian - Opinion

It's "just too mundane to effectively keep worries away", according to cognitive psychologist Dr Allison Harvey.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "worry away" to describe a gradual or continuous process of diminishing worry through a specific action or state of mind. For example, weaving can "worry away" the stress.

Common error

While grammatically sound, "worry away" might sound informal or simplistic in certain professional or academic settings. Opt for more sophisticated alternatives like "alleviate anxiety" or "mitigate concerns" for increased gravitas.

Linguistic Context

The phrasal verb "worry away" functions as a causative verb, indicating the process of gradually reducing or eliminating worries. As seen in Ludwig's examples, it often describes actions taken to alleviate stress.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "worry away" is a grammatically sound phrasal verb used to describe the gradual reduction of worries, often through a specific activity or state of mind. Ludwig's analysis shows it's more common in neutral contexts such as news and media, with limited use in more formal academic or scientific writing. While Ludwig AI confirms its correctness, its infrequency suggests considering more common alternatives like "alleviate anxiety" for broader appeal. Remember that "worry away" best suits descriptions of activities that soothe or distract from concerns, providing a sense of relief.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

shrug off worries

Implies a dismissive gesture towards concerns, minimizing their impact.

dismiss anxieties

Suggests a conscious rejection of anxious thoughts or feelings.

banish fears

Conveys a strong sense of eliminating or driving away fears.

dispel concerns

Indicates the act of scattering or dissolving concerns.

ease apprehensions

Implies a gentle reduction in feelings of unease or worry.

alleviate worry

Focuses on making worry less severe or burdensome.

reduce anxiety

Highlights a decrease in the overall state of anxiety.

mitigate concerns

Suggests lessening the intensity or impact of concerns.

allay fears

Implies a calming or soothing of fears.

soothe anxieties

Conveys a gentle and comforting reduction in anxious feelings.

FAQs

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

You can use "worry away" to describe something that helps to gradually reduce or eliminate your worries, as in "He might use his free time to learn the dying Cajun art of shrimp-net sewing from his 73-year-old father...weaving the "worry away"".

What does it mean to "worry away"?

To "worry away" means to gradually diminish or eliminate worries, often through engaging in a distracting or comforting activity.

What are some alternatives to saying "worry away"?

Alternatives include phrases like "ease apprehensions", "reduce anxiety", or "dispel concerns", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is "worry away" formal or informal?

"Worry away" leans towards the informal side. In more formal contexts, consider using "alleviate worry" or "mitigate concerns".