Concern
verb/nounBase concern · Past concerned · Past Participle concerned · Present Participle concerning · 3rd person concerns
Definition
1. (verb/noun) To make someone feel worried or anxious — or the feeling of worry itself about something important.
2. (verb) To be about, to relate to, or to involve someone or something directly.
2. (verb) To be about, to relate to, or to involve someone or something directly.
Context Alive
Your manager calls an unexpected meeting on Monday morning and says she has some concerns about the project timeline. The room goes quiet. Everyone nods slowly and takes notes. After the meeting you go straight back to your desk and start checking the deadlines again — something about her tone made it clear this wasn't just a routine check-in.
Meanings
2 meanings 1 Worry or Anxiety (Verb / Noun) Very Common ▼
This meaning is about feeling worried or uneasy about something that matters. Imagine reading a news article about rising food prices — if you're living on a tight budget, it concerns you because it directly affects your daily life. This is describing a feeling that something might go wrong or that a situation needs attention. You might say "I have serious concerns about this plan" when you think it has real problems, or someone could say "it concerns me that he hasn't called" when they're worried about a person. Or think about a doctor telling a patient that some test results are "a cause for concern" — not a crisis yet, but something to watch closely. The word suggests the worry is real and reasonable, not just anxiety.
✏️ As a noun, concern is often used in the plural: "I have concerns", "raise concerns", "express concerns." As a verb, the pattern it concerns me that... is very natural in both spoken and written English. The adjective concerned is equally common — "I'm concerned about the results" means the same as "the results concern me."
2 To Be About or To Involve (Verb) Common ▼
This meaning is about something relating to or directly involving a person or topic. Imagine a colleague forwarding you an email with the note "this concerns you" — they're saying the content is relevant to you specifically and you need to pay attention. This is describing a connection between a subject and a person or group. You might hear "the report concerns public health" to mean the report is about that topic, or someone could say "this doesn't concern you" to shut someone out of a private conversation. Or think about a legal document that opens with "this agreement concerns the following parties" — it's stating who and what the document applies to. The word signals relevance and involvement rather than worry.
✏️ This sense is more formal and common in written English — reports, official documents, and news articles use it a lot. In everyday speech, people more often say "this is about you" or "this involves you" rather than "this concerns you" — though the latter does appear in serious or formal moments.
Common Patterns
Basic Structures
it concerns me (that)... → used to express personal worry about a situation
It concerns me that nobody has checked the figures yet.
have concerns about / over → to hold worries about a specific issue
The board has serious concerns about the company's cash flow.
concern + noun (topic) → used to say what something is about or relates to
The investigation concerns payments made between 2019 and 2022.
Common Structures
raise / express concerns → to formally bring up worries so others are aware
Several parents raised concerns about the new school policy.
a cause for concern → a situation or fact that gives good reason to worry
The drop in test scores is a cause for concern but not a crisis.
as far as X is concerned → used to state a perspective or limit the scope of a statement
As far as I'm concerned, the matter is closed.
Collocations
10 collocationsraise concerns
to formally bring up worries for others to address
express concern
to show or communicate that you are worried
growing concern
a worry that is increasing over time
serious concern
a significant, important worry that needs attention
cause for concern
a reason to be worried about something
public concern
worry felt widely among people in society
major concern
the most important or pressing worry in a situation
concern about / over
worry directed at a specific issue or situation
voice concerns
to speak up and share your worries openly
a matter of concern
an issue that deserves attention and thought
Example Sentences
10 examples
1
It concerns me that we haven't heard anything from the supplier in two weeks.
I'm worried that the supplier has been completely silent for the past two weeks.
2
Several residents raised concerns about the safety of the new road layout.
A number of local people voiced worries about how dangerous the new road design might be.
3
The doctor said the test results were a cause for concern and booked a follow-up appointment.
The doctor told her the results were worrying enough to schedule another visit.
4
This email concerns all staff members, so please read it carefully.
Every employee is directly affected by what this email says, so take the time to read it properly.
5
As far as I'm concerned, the deadline should stay the same.
From my perspective, there's no reason to change the original deadline.
6
There is growing concern among scientists about the rate of ice melt in the Arctic.
Scientists are becoming increasingly worried about how fast the Arctic ice is disappearing.
7
She expressed concern for her colleague, who had seemed stressed all week.
She showed that she was worried about her coworker, who had clearly been under a lot of pressure.
8
The investigation concerns a series of financial transactions made in early 2023.
The inquiry is focused on a set of money transfers that took place at the beginning of 2023.
9
His main concern was that the team wouldn't finish on time.
What worried him most was the possibility that the team would miss the deadline.
10
"That's not your concern," she said, and closed the laptop before he could see the screen.
"That's none of your business," she told him, shutting the laptop so he couldn't see what was on it.
Synonyms & Antonyms
6 items
Synonymsworry
more everyday and emotional — less formal than concern
anxiety
stronger and more internal — a persistent feeling rather than a specific issue
issue
closer to the noun sense — a matter that needs attention, without the emotional weight
Antonymsindifference
a complete lack of concern or interest in something
reassurance
something that removes concern and makes you feel safe
irrelevance
opposite of the second meaning — something that doesn't concern or affect you at all