Concern — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /kən-ˈsərn/ con·cern

Meaning & Definition of Concern

Concern (verb)

  1. to relate to, be about
  2. to bear on
  3. to have an influence on, involve; also, to be the business or affair of

Concern (noun)

  1. marked interest or regard usually arising through a personal tie or relationship
  2. an uneasy state of blended interest, uncertainty, and apprehension
  3. something that relates or belongs to one, affair

Concern (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a commercial or industrial activity or organization

    "several banking concerns in the area"

    similar: business, company, enterprise, establishment, firm, house, interest, outfit
    related: conglomerate, corporation, multinational, association, cartel, chain, combine, syndicate, trust, agency, dealer, outlet, microenterprise

  2. an uneasy state of mind usually over the possibility of an anticipated misfortune or trouble

    "the recent crime wave has caused a great deal of concern in the neighborhood"

    similar: agita, agitation, anxiety, anxiousness, apprehension, apprehensiveness, care, concernment, disquiet, disquietude, fear, nervosity, nervousness, perturbation, solicitude, sweat, unease, uneasiness, worry
    related: strain, stress, tension, alarm, anguish, consternation, desperateness, desperation, discomfort, discomposure, dismay, distraction, distress, disturbance, edginess, franticness, hand-wringing, jitters, jumpiness, panic, tremor, angst, fearfulness, torment, upset, vexation, cold feet, doubt, dread, foreboding, incertitude, misgiving, presentiment, suspense, uncertainty, compunction, qualm, scruple
    opposite: unconcern
    near: calm, calmness, content, contentment, ease, easiness, peace, peacefulness, placidity, placidness, quiet, quietude, sereneness, serenity, tranquility, tranquilness, comfort, consolation, relief, solace

Concern (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to have (something) as a subject matter

    "the book concerns the challenges faced by children growing up in single-parent households"

    similar: cover, deal (with), pertain (to), treat (of), have to do with
    related: appertain (to), bear (on or upon), refer (to), relate (to), advert (to), allude (to), cite, glance (upon), instance, mention, name, note, notice, quote, specify, touch (upon), offer, present, contain, embrace, encompass, entail, include, incorporate
    near: exclude, omit, disregard, forget, ignore, neglect, overlook, overpass, pass over, slight, slur (over), brush (aside or off), reject, shrug off

  2. to be the business or affair of

    "the problems of air and water pollution that concern all of us"

    similar: affect, involve, touch
    related: appertain (to), apply (to), bear (on), pertain (to), refer (to), relate (to), embroil, ensnare, entangle, implicate

  3. to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy

    "we were greatly concerned by reports that yet another previously unknown virus is now posing a threat"

    similar: agitate, ail, alarm, bother, derail, discomfort, discompose, dismay, disquiet, distemper, distract, distress, disturb, exercise, flurry, frazzle, freak (out), fuss, hagride, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, weird out, worry
    related: aggravate, anger, annoy, bug, chafe, chivy, exasperate, fret, gall, get, grate, harass, harry, irk, irritate, nettle, peeve, pester, pique, put off, put out, rile, vex, bedevil, haunt, plague, abash, confound, confuse, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, embarrass, faze, fluster, jar, mortify, nonplus, rattle, shake up, daunt, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dispirit, unnerve
    opposite: calm, compose, quiet, settle, soothe, tranquilize
    near: allay, alleviate, assuage, appease, conciliate, mollify, pacify, placate, propitiate

Related Entry: Self-concern (noun)

Self-concern is a different word from Concern. The synonyms below are for self-concern, not for concern.

  1. excessive interest in oneself

    "she saw in him the kind of self-concern that she thought was unattractive in a partner"

    similar: egocentricity, egocentrism, egoism, egomania, egotism, narcissism, navel-gazing, self-absorption, self-centeredness, self-interest, self-involvement, self-preoccupation, self-regard, selfishness, selfness
    related: complacence, complacency, conceit, conceitedness, ego, pomposity, pompousness, pride, pridefulness, self-admiration, self-conceit, self-esteem, self-importance, self-indulgence, self-love, self-partiality, self-respect, self-satisfaction, self-sufficiency, smugness, vaingloriousness, vainglory, vainness, vanity, self-assumption, self-consequence, self-content, self-contentment, self-glorification
    opposite: self-abandonment, self-forgetfulness, selflessness, unselfishness
    near: altruism, generosity, magnanimity, self-sacrifice, detachment, disinterestedness, fairness, impartiality, neutrality, objectivity, self-flagellation, self-annihilation, self-immolation

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Concern

The most common words with a similar meaning to Concern:

business, company, enterprise, establishment, firm, house, interest, outfit, agita, agitation, anxiety, anxiousness, apprehension, apprehensiveness, care, concernment, disquiet, disquietude, fear, nervosity, nervousness, perturbation, solicitude, sweat, unease, uneasiness, worry, cover, deal (with), pertain (to), treat (of), affect, involve, touch, agitate, ail, alarm, bother, derail, discomfort

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Concern

Words with the opposite meaning of Concern:

unconcern, calm, compose, quiet, settle, soothe, tranquilize

Related Words for Concern

conglomerate, corporation, multinational, association, cartel, chain, combine, syndicate, trust, agency, dealer, outlet, microenterprise, strain, stress, tension, anguish, consternation, desperateness, desperation, discomposure, distraction, disturbance, edginess, franticness, hand-wringing, jitters, jumpiness, panic, tremor

Near Antonyms of Concern

calmness, content, contentment, ease, easiness, peace, peacefulness, placidity, placidness, quietude, sereneness, serenity, tranquility, tranquilness, comfort, consolation, relief, solace, exclude, omit, disregard, forget, ignore, neglect, overlook, overpass, pass over, slight, slur (over), brush (aside or off)

Word Forms of Concern

Inflections: concerned, concerning, concerns

Origin & Etymology of Concern

Middle English, from Middle French & Medieval Latin; Middle French concerner, from Medieval Latin concernere, from Late Latin, to sift together, mingle, from Latin com- + cernere to sift certain

First known use: 15th centuryt

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Concern

Words & Phrases Containing Concern

concern oneself, self-concern, a matter of some concern, cause for concern, going concern, not someone's concern

Frequently Asked Questions about Concern

What does "Concern" mean?

"Concern" means to relate to, be about. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to relate to, be about. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Concern"?

Other words for "Concern" include business, company, enterprise, establishment, firm, house, interest and outfit. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Concern" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Concern"?

There are 181 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Concern". Common alternatives include business, company, enterprise, establishment, firm, house, interest, outfit, agita and agitation.

What is the opposite of "Concern"?

Antonyms of "Concern" include unconcern, calm, compose, quiet, settle, soothe and tranquilize. Near antonyms include calmness, content, contentment and ease.

How do you use "Concern" in a sentence?

Examples of "Concern" in a sentence: "several banking concerns in the area"; "the recent crime wave has caused a great deal of concern in the neighborhood"; "the book concerns the challenges faced by children growing up in single-parent households".

Is "Concern" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Concern" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Concern" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B1-level word, "Concern" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+.

How do you pronounce "Concern"?

"Concern" is pronounced /kən-ˈsərn/ and divided into syllables as con·cern.