concerning

1 of 2

preposition

con·​cern·​ing kən-ˈsər-niŋ How to pronounce concerning (audio)
: 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
The concerning outlook was amplified by commentary from Arm CEO Rene Haas, who indicated the company is considering designing its own processors. Annie Palmer, CNBC, 31 July 2025 The more concerning question is: Why are all of your friends trying to poison you? Judith Martin, Mercury News, 19 July 2025 Even more concerning, Jan Herzhoff, president of Elsevier’s global healthcare businesses and a sponsor of the study, told Forbes, is that patients may decide to skip the hospital altogether and rely solely on ChatGPT and other websites for advice. Victoria Feng, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025 For the agricultural community, what's perhaps even more concerning than DOGE's unfettered access to sensitive data is the capacity to change it or even deny and cancel payments. Jenna McLaughlin, NPR, 10 July 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Concerning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/concerning. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

concerning

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

More from Merriam-Webster on concerning

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!