concerning

1 of 2

preposition

con·​cern·​ing kən-ˈsər-niŋ How to pronounce concerning (audio)
Synonyms of concerningnext
: relating to : regarding

concerning

2 of 2

adjective

: causing concern or worry : creating reason for concern : troubling
found the latest reports very concerning
"It's extremely concerning that drivers still choose to give their attention to things other than the road when they're behind the wheel," said [Texas Department of Transportation] Executive Director James Bass.The Nueces County Record Star
… carbapenems should not be administered to patients with positive penicillin skin test results or a concerning history of a type I allergic response to penicillin.Alan R. Salkind et al.
concerningly adverb
Of course, South Carolina roads are also concerningly dangerous for sober drivers. In 2015, the state ranked 7th for traffic deaths overall … The Post & Courier [Charleston, South Carolina]
"The waivers have driven destruction in Native American burial sites. They have killed thousands of species and fragmented habitat. Most concerningly, there is zero accountability or consequence for these outcomes." Gloria Smith

Examples of concerning in a Sentence

Preposition we had a meeting with the principal today concerning the new policy on student-run organizations
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Still more concerning, the STC offensive is likely to provide a pretext for larger actions by the Houthis. April Longley Alley, Foreign Affairs, 18 Dec. 2025 Recently news outlets reported that layoff announcements have reached pandemic levels, which is highly concerning, but certainly not unforeseen. Gabby Burlacu, Fortune, 18 Dec. 2025 The most concerning game was, obviously, against the Bills, but the Patriots have scored just four touchdowns in the second halves of games since Week 9, and three of those were those long touchdown runs from Henderson. Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 17 Dec. 2025 Instead, lenders will typically rely on your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio to determine whether your debt level is healthy or concerning. Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 15 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for concerning

Word History

First Known Use

Preposition

1535, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1740, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of concerning was in 1535

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Cite this Entry

“Concerning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/concerning. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

concerning

preposition
con·​cern·​ing
kən-ˈsər-niŋ
: relating to : about
news concerning friends

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