Meanings
plural concerns
- countableuncountableThat which affects one’s welfare or happiness. A matter of interest to someone.
Mark’s health was of great concern to Connie.
2 more examples
We drove back to the office with some concern on my part at the prospect of so large a case. Sunning himself on the board steps, I saw for the first time Mr. Farquhar Fenelon Cooke. He was dressed out in broad gaiters and bright tweeds, like an English tourist, and his face might have belonged to Dagon, idol of the Philistines.
1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter II, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLCAlthough the encounter was bathed in sunshine, the match failed to reach boiling point but that will be of little concern to Gerard Houllier’s team, who took a huge step forward before they face crucial matches against their relegation rivals.
2011 April 10, Alistair Magowan, “Aston Villa 1-0 Newcastle”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 01 Feb 2012 - countableuncountableThe placement of interest or worry on a subject.
Most people in Australia have no concern for the recent events in London.
- countableuncountableA worry; a sense that something may be wrong; an identification of a possible problem.
Let me know if you have any questions or concerns about the document.
1 more example
The use of algorithms in policing is one example of their increasing influence on our lives.[…]who, if anyone, is policing their use[?] Such concerns were sharpened further by the continuing revelations about how the US National Security Agency (NSA) has been using algorithms to help it interpret the colossal amounts of data it has collected from its covert dragnet of international telecommunications.
2013 July 26, Leo Hickman, “How algorithms rule the world”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 7, archived from the original on 27 Apr 2023, page 26 - countableuncountableThe expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person.
Judy's eyes filled with concern as she listened to the news report.
1 more example
Appleby […] rose from his seat when Morales came in. He shook hands urbanely, unbuckled his sword, and laid his kepi on the table, and then sat down with an expression of concern in his olive face which Appleby fancied was assumed.
1907 January, Harold Bindloss, chapter 22, in The Dust of Conflict, 1st Canadian edition, Toronto, Ont.: McLeod & Allen, →OCLC - countableuncountableA business, firm or enterprise; a company.
a going concern
3 more examples
The employees’ attitude is really hurting the concern.
Then I remembered there was a big concern, a Company for trade on that river.
1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part I, page 198Soon after he ascended the throne, an Arabic television joint venture between the BBC and a Saudi concern, Orbit Communications, foundered over the BBC’s insistence on editorial independence.
2001 November 18, Fouad Ajami, “What the Muslim World Is Watching”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 31 Aug 2019, retrieved 26 Jul 2014 - countableuncountablecomputingAny set of information that affects the code of a computer program.
At the programming level, an aspect is a modular unit that implements a concern.
2006, Awais Rashid, Mehmet Aksit, Transactions on Aspect-Oriented Software Development II, page 148
present singular third person concerns · participle present concerning · participle past concerned · past concerned
- transitiveTo relate or belong to; to have reference to or connection with; to affect the interest of; to be of importance to.
ignorant, so far as the usual instruction was concerned
1821, James Fenimore Cooper, The Spy3 more examples
Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Acts xxviii:31our wars with France have always affected us in our most tender interests, and concerned us more than those we have had with any other nation
1708, Joseph Addison, The Present State of the War, and the Necessity of an AugmentationAs a political system democracy seems to me extraordinarily foolish, but I would not go out of my way to protest against it. My servant is, so far as I am concerned, welcome to as many votes as he can get. I would very gladly make mine over to him if I could.
1915, G[eorge] A. Birmingham [pseudonym; James Owen Hannay], chapter I, in Gossamer, New York, N.Y.: George H. Doran Company, →OCLC - transitiveTo engage by feeling or sentiment; to interest.
A good prince concerns himself in the happiness of his subjects.
2 more examples
They think themselves out the reach of Providence, and no longer concerned to solicit his favour.
a. 1729, John Rogers, A Sufficiency adjusted and recommendedIt had been his intention to go to Wimbledon, but as he himself said: “Why be blooming well frizzled when you can hear all the results over the wireless. And results are all that concern me.[…]”
1935, George Goodchild, chapter 3, in Death on the Centre Court
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThat which affects one’s welfare or happiness. A matter of interest to someone.
nounThe expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person.
More synonyms by meaning
nounsomething or someone that causes anxiety; a source of unhappiness
nouna commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinconcernō“to mix, sift, or mingle together, as in a sieve”
- Medieval Latinconcernō, concernere“I distinguish, have respect to”
- Middle Frenchconcerner
- Englishconcern
Borrowed from Middle French concerner, from Medieval Latin concernō, concernere (“I distinguish, have respect to”), from Latin concernō (“to mix, sift, or mingle together, as in a sieve”), combined form of con- + cernō (“distinguish”).
More words from Middle French, Medieval Latin, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek ἐπιμέλεια, ἐπιμέλεια
- ἐπιμέλεια (epiméleia)that which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- ἐπιμέλεια (epiméleia)the expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person
Arabic خَصَّ, هَمَّ
- خَصَّ (ḵaṣṣa)to relate to or be of importance to
- هَمَّ (hamma)to make somebody worried
Bengali উদ্বেগ, পরোয়া
- উদ্বেগ (udbeg)that which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- পরোয়া (porōẇa)that which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- উদ্বেগ (udbeg)the expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person
Bulgarian грижа, загриженост
- грижа (griža)that which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- загриженост (zagriženost)that which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- загриженост (zagriženost)the expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person
- интерес (interes)the expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person
- мисъл (misăl)the expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person
- концерн (koncern)business, firm or enterprise; a company
- засягам (zasjagam)to relate to or be of importance to
- отнасям се до (otnasjam se do)to relate to or be of importance to
- касая (kasaja)to relate to or be of importance to
- обезпокоявам (obezpokojavam)to make somebody worried
Catalan preocupació, consternació
- preocupacióthat which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- consternacióthat which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- preocupacióthe expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person
- concernirto relate to or be of importance to
- preocuparto make somebody worried
Chinese Mandarin 康采恩
- 康采恩 (kāngcǎi'ēn)business, firm or enterprise; a company
Czech podnik, trápit
- podnikbusiness, firm or enterprise; a company
- trápitto make somebody worried
- znepokojovatto make somebody worried
Danish bekymring, bekymring
- bekymringthat which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- bekymringthe expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person
- vedrøreto relate to or be of importance to
- bekymreto make somebody worried
Dutch zorg, belangstelling
- zorgthat which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- belangstellingthat which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- zorgthe expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person
- ondernemingbusiness, firm or enterprise; a company
- zaakbusiness, firm or enterprise; a company
- belang hechten aanto relate to or be of importance to
- zich inlatento relate to or be of importance to
- ongerust makento make somebody worried
- verontrustento make somebody worried
Esperanto zorgo, rilati
- zorgothat which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- rilatito relate to or be of importance to
- koncernito relate to or be of importance to
- temito relate to or be of importance to
Finnish huoli, asia
- huolithat which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- asiathat which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- huolia worry; a sense that something may be wrong; an identification of a possible problem
- huolithe expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person
- konsernibusiness, firm or enterprise; a company
- yritysbusiness, firm or enterprise; a company
- koskeato relate to or be of importance to
- liittyäto relate to or be of importance to
- huolestuttaato make somebody worried
French inquiétude, souci
- inquiétudethat which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- soucithat which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- sointhe expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person
- soucithe expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person
- préoccupationthe expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person
- concernerto relate to or be of importance to
- interesserto relate to or be of importance to
- toucherto relate to or be of importance to
- inquiéterto make somebody worried
- préoccuperto make somebody worried
German Sorge, Anliegen
- Sorgethat which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- Anliegenthat which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- Betroffenheitthe expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person
- Sorgethe expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person
- Besorgnisthe expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person
- Konzernbusiness, firm or enterprise; a company
- angehento relate to or be of importance to
- anbetreffento relate to or be of importance to
- anbelangento relate to or be of importance to
- anlangento relate to or be of importance to
- betreffento relate to or be of importance to
- sorgento make somebody worried
- beunruhigento make somebody worried
- kümmernto make somebody worried
Greek αφορώ, πρόκειται
- αφορώ (aforó)to relate to or be of importance to
- πρόκειται (prókeitai)to relate to or be of importance to
- ανησυχώ (anisychó)to make somebody worried
Hebrew דאגה, הדאיג
- דאגה (d'aga)that which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- הדאיג (hid'íg)to make somebody worried
Hindi समुत्थान
- समुत्थान (samutthān)business, firm or enterprise; a company
Irish bain do, bain le
- bain doto relate to or be of importance to
- bain leto relate to or be of importance to
Italian interesse, preoccupazione
- interessethat which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- preoccupazionethe expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person
- impresabusiness, firm or enterprise; a company
- interessareto relate to or be of importance to
- concernereto relate to or be of importance to
- riguardareto relate to or be of importance to
- preoccupareto make somebody worried
- turbareto make somebody worried
- inquietareto make somebody worried
Japanese 注意事項, 題目
- 注意事項 (chūi jikō)that which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- 題目 (daimoku)that which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- 心配事 (shinpai-goto)that which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- コンツェルンbusiness, firm or enterprise; a company
- 関係する (kankei suru)to relate to or be of importance to
- 心配させる (shinpai saseru)to make somebody worried
Latin fabula, fabula
- fabulathat which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- fabulathe expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person
- fabulabusiness, firm or enterprise; a company
- attingōto relate to or be of importance to
Latvian raizes
- raizesthat which affects one’s welfare or happiness
Māori whakatāuteute, utiuti
- whakatāuteutethat which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- utiutito make somebody worried
Norwegian bekymring, bekymring
- bekymringthat which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- bekymringthe expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person
- urothe expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person
- konsernbusiness, firm or enterprise; a company
- selskapbusiness, firm or enterprise; a company
- angåto relate to or be of importance to
Polish koncern, tyczyć
- koncernbusiness, firm or enterprise; a company
- tyczyćto relate to or be of importance to
- dotyczyćto relate to or be of importance to
- martwićto make somebody worried
Portuguese preocupação, preocupação
- preocupaçãothat which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- preocupaçãoa worry; a sense that something may be wrong; an identification of a possible problem
- apreensãoa worry; a sense that something may be wrong; an identification of a possible problem
- reservaa worry; a sense that something may be wrong; an identification of a possible problem
- preocupaçãothe expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person
- negóciobusiness, firm or enterprise; a company
- concernirto relate to or be of importance to
- ter a ver comto relate to or be of importance to
- preocuparto make somebody worried
Romanian preocupare, îngrijorare
- preocuparethat which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- îngrijorarethat which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- frământarethat which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- concernbusiness, firm or enterprise; a company
- întreprinderebusiness, firm or enterprise; a company
- preocupato relate to or be of importance to
- îngrijorato make somebody worried
Russian забо́та, беспоко́йство
- забо́та (zabóta)that which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- беспоко́йство (bespokójstvo)the expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person
- забо́та (zabóta)the expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person
- конце́рн (koncérn)business, firm or enterprise; a company
- каса́ться (kasátʹsja)to relate to or be of importance to
- беспоко́ить (bespokóitʹ)to make somebody worried
- волнова́ть (volnovátʹ)to make somebody worried
- занима́ть (zanimátʹ)to make somebody worried
Scottish Gaelic suim, suim
- suimthat which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- suimthe expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person
Spanish interés, concernencia
- interésthat which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- concernenciathat which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- preocupaciónthe expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person
- concernenciathe expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person
- negociobusiness, firm or enterprise; a company
- empresabusiness, firm or enterprise; a company
- referirse ato relate to or be of importance to
- atañerto relate to or be of importance to
- concernirto relate to or be of importance to
- tocarto relate to or be of importance to
- respectarto relate to or be of importance to
- preocuparto make somebody worried
Swedish oro, angå
- orothe expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person
- angåto relate to or be of importance to
- bekymrato make somebody worried
- oroato make somebody worried
Turkish cesaretsizlik, önyargı
- cesaretsizlikthat which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- önyargıthat which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- şaşkınlıkthat which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- kaygıthe expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person
- endişethe expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person
- özenthe expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person
Ukrainian занепоко́єння, турбо́та
- занепоко́єння (zanepokójennja)the expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person
- турбо́та (turbóta)the expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person
- конце́рн (koncérn)business, firm or enterprise; a company
- стосува́тись (stosuvátysʹ)to relate to or be of importance to
Urdu تشویش, فکر
- تشویش (taśvīś)that which affects one’s welfare or happiness
- فکر (fikr)that which affects one’s welfare or happiness
Vietnamese làm cho lo ngại
- làm cho lo ngạito make somebody worried
Welsh ymwneud
- ymwneudto relate to or be of importance to
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with concern
Cite this entry
concern. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/concern
“concern.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/concern. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “concern,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/concern.
Source: concern on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.