care 1 of 2

Definition of carenext
1
2
as in concern
attention accompanied by protectiveness and responsibility that's an extremely valuable violin, so handle it with care

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
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5
as in custody
responsibility for the safety and well-being of someone or something while you're under my care, you'll do as you're told

Synonyms & Similar Words

6
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care

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verb

as in to watch
to have an interest or concern for a teacher who cares what happens to her students long after they leave her classroom

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word care distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of care are anxiety, concern, solicitude, and worry. While all these words mean "a troubled or engrossed state of mind or the thing that causes this," care implies oppression of the mind weighed down by responsibility or disquieted by apprehension.

a face worn by years of care

When can anxiety be used instead of care?

The meanings of anxiety and care largely overlap; however, anxiety stresses anguished uncertainty or fear of misfortune or failure.

plagued by anxiety and self-doubt

When might concern be a better fit than care?

While in some cases nearly identical to care, concern implies a troubled state of mind because of personal interest, relation, or affection.

crimes caused concern in the neighborhood

When would solicitude be a good substitute for care?

Although the words solicitude and care have much in common, solicitude implies great concern and connotes either thoughtful or hovering attentiveness toward another.

acted with typical maternal solicitude

Where would worry be a reasonable alternative to care?

The words worry and care are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, worry suggests fretting over matters that may or may not be real cause for anxiety.

financial worries

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of care
Noun
In addition to Panorama City and Woodland Hills, Kaiser Permanente hospitals in Anaheim, Baldwin Park, Downey, Fontana, Irvine, Los Angeles, Ontario, Riverside, San Diego, South Bay and West Los Angeles medical centers were recognized for excellence in maternity care. Staff Report, Daily News, 18 May 2026 The premiere audience gasped and snorted in disbelief as Stan and Reinsve suffer the indignity of an overreaching state — removing teens, tweens and an infant from their loving care. Zack Sharf, Variety, 18 May 2026
Verb
Asking them to suddenly care about other layers feels invasive. Mudit Singh, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026 What crosses the line What the federal FTC Act and analogous state consumer-deception statutes usually care about is not whether a design is annoying. Gregory M. Dickinson, The Conversation, 18 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for care
Recent Examples of Synonyms for care
Noun
  • Rather than focusing on the White House setting itself, White said his attention quickly turned toward how bugs could affect lighting, camera shots and the overall broadcast presentation during a live pay-per-view event.
    Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026
  • At full time, he was pushed forward by Will Hughes and Maxence Lacroix to take in the appreciation of the supporters, looking almost sheepish at the attention.
    Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 18 May 2026
Noun
  • The league could soon be split into two conferences, or multiple divisions, with a schedule designed to maximize rivalries and limit any travel concerns that might come with a larger footprint.
    Hailey Salvian, New York Times, 21 May 2026
  • The elevator is expected to be out of service until next winter while it is being replaced, and accessibility advocates said the move raises concerns about transit equity.
    Megan De Mar, CBS News, 20 May 2026
Noun
  • There was no carefulness in it.
    Zack Meisel, New York Times, 1 May 2026
  • Organizations can benefit by valuing carefulness and concentration not as an obligation, but as a fundamental pillar of success.
    Heather V. MacArthur, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Another reasonable worry is energy.
    Editorial, Boston Herald, 14 May 2026
  • With one less worry – a safe home – Denise can now imagine a future for her family.
    Jayme Fraser, USA Today, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • The Washington Post reported that her daughter, Amy Elizabeth, was born on June 27, 1984, and the state of Oregon took custody of her before she was adopted and renamed.
    Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 19 May 2026
  • Fresno man murdered children during police standoff Mass murderer and child rapist Marcus Wesson murdered nine of his children in 2004 during a custody dispute that led to a police standoff in Fresno.
    Alexiah Syrai Olsen, Sacbee.com, 19 May 2026
Noun
  • The more our voices are raised and registered, the stronger our message urging Congress to listen to the people who want protection and stewardship, not short-term exploitation of our public land.
    Scott Braden, Denver Post, 19 May 2026
  • The food and drink Under the stewardship of Richard Bias, eating is an event.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 May 2026
Noun
  • After the modernising ethos of the Eyraud era, this — the thinking went — was a way of putting football back at the very heart of the club’s management structure.
    Tom Williams, New York Times, 17 May 2026
  • This lasted until 2023, when new management company Storey Hotel Management (who also run Nanuku Resort in Fiji and the Ameswell Hotel in California) took over, and the resort has maintained its elegance and quiet luxury.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 May 2026
Verb
  • For a closer look, ask the concierge to arrange a whale-watching boat ride.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 May 2026
  • As the performers take the stage for the glitzy grand final on Saturday, many watching will hope the controversy of the run-up is left well behind.
    Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 15 May 2026

Cite this Entry

“Care.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/care. Accessed 22 May. 2026.

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