To worry means to keep thinking about problems or bad things that might happen, which makes you feel upset or nervous. It can also mean to bother or disturb someone.
“Worry” comes from Old English “wyrgan,” meaning “to strangle” or “to choke.” Over time, the idea of physical choking turned into the mental feeling of being squeezed by fear and stress.
The word “worry” once described what a wild animal might do when grabbing its prey. Now it describes what your own thoughts do when they won’t let go of something scary or uncertain.
As with “worried,” the act of “worrying” has often been stereotyped as a feminine trait, especially in depictions of mothers, wives, or secretaries, while men’s concerns were framed as rational analysis. This has contributed to dismissing women’s risk assessments.
Use “worry” as a human universal and avoid gendered clichés (e.g., “nagging wife who worries too much”).
Acknowledge that women’s historically documented worries—for example about safety, finances, or health—often reflected accurate assessments of structural risks.
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