concerned

concerned — adjective

1. Feeling nervous or upset because you think something unpleasant might happen to

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

Feeling nervous or upset because you think something unpleasant might happen to someone or something you care about.

Example

Talia was deeply concerned about her younger brother's cough, which had lasted for over a week.

collocation: concerned about (health-related concern)

The villagers grew increasingly concerned that the drought would destroy their rice harvest.

pattern: concerned + that-clause for expressing fear of a future event

Common collocations
  • deeply concerned
  • concerned about
  • concerned for
  • concerned that
  • increasingly concerned
Synonyms
  • worried

    more everyday, often less intense than 'concerned'; focuses on mental unease

  • anxious

    suggests nervousness and unease over an uncertain outcome

  • troubled

    implies deeper, longer-lasting worry affecting one's peace of mind

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

concerned + about + noun/gerund

concerned + that-clause

concerned + for + person

Usage Note

Stronger than 'worried' in many contexts — concerned often implies genuine care for the subject at risk, not just anxiety. Frequently used in news reports and formal statements.

Common Mistakes

I am concerning about the exam results.
I am concerned about the exam results.
'concerned' is the adjective form; 'concerning' means 'regarding' and is a preposition.
She concerned about his health.
She was concerned about his health.
'concerned' is an adjective here and needs the verb 'be'.

2. Taking part in a situation, activity, or event, or being directly affected by it

2.adjectiveB1
Definition

Taking part in a situation, activity, or event, or being directly affected by it.

Example

All parties concerned in the land dispute have agreed to meet next Monday.

post-position: 'the parties concerned' means 'the parties involved'

The company sent a formal apology to everyone concerned by the factory's noise pollution.

pattern: 'everyone concerned by [issue]' for affected individuals

Common collocations
  • the parties concerned
  • the people concerned
  • everyone concerned
  • concerned in
  • concerned by
Synonyms
  • involved

    most direct synonym; 'involved' can also imply emotional engagement while 'concerned' is more neutral

  • implicated

    suggests involvement in something negative or illegal; stronger than 'concerned'

  • affected

    focuses on being impacted by an event rather than actively taking part

Antonyms
  • unaffected

    not touched or impacted by the situation

Grammar Patterns

the [noun] + concerned

concerned + in + noun

Usage Note

When used after a noun (post-positive), 'concerned' can mean 'involved' or 'affected'. When used before a noun ('a concerned look'), it means 'worried'. The position determines the meaning.

Common Mistakes

The concerned parties' (when meaning 'the parties involved').
The parties concerned
post-position signals 'involved'; pre-position signals 'worried'.
Is he concerned with the project?' (when meaning 'involved').
Is he concerned in the project?
'in' signals involvement; 'with' signals subject matter (sense 5).

3. Used within the fixed expression 'as far as I'm concerned' to introduce one's pe

3.adjectiveB1
Definition

Used within the fixed expression 'as far as I'm concerned' to introduce one's personal opinion or viewpoint on a matter.

Example

As far as Joon is concerned, the meeting was a complete waste of everyone's precious time.

fixed phrase: 'as far as [person] is concerned' for personal viewpoint

Lotte doesn't mind the long commute — as far as she is concerned, the train ride is perfect for reading.

Common collocations
  • as far as I'm concerned
  • as far as ___ is concerned
Synonyms
  • in my opinion

    more direct and common in everyday speech; less idiomatic than the 'as far as' structure

  • personally

    adverb placed at the start of a sentence; less formal and shorter

Grammar Patterns

as far as + pronoun + (am/is/are) + concerned

Usage Note

This sense only works within the fixed phrase 'as far as [subject] [be] concerned'. The phrase is idiomatic — 'concerned' alone does not carry the opinion meaning outside of this construction.

Common Mistakes

Concerned my opinion, this is wrong.
As far as I'm concerned, this is wrong.
the full fixed expression is mandatory.
As far as me concerned, we should leave now.
As far as I'm concerned, we should leave now.
use subject pronoun 'I', not object pronoun 'me'.

4. Used within the fixed expression 'as far as something is concerned' to specify w

4.adjectiveB2
Definition

Used within the fixed expression 'as far as something is concerned' to specify which particular aspect or subject you are talking about.

Example

As far as the budget is concerned, we still have enough funds to finish the library renovation.

fixed phrase: 'as far as [topic] is concerned' narrowing discussion scope

The apartment is spacious and bright, but as far as the neighbourhood is concerned, it could be safer at night.

Common collocations
  • as far as ___ is concerned
  • as far as ___ are concerned
Synonyms
  • regarding

    more direct; fewer words, same scope-limiting function; slightly more formal

  • with respect to

    more formal and often used in written business or legal English

  • in terms of

    commonly used to specify the aspect under discussion; slightly less formal than 'with respect to'

Grammar Patterns

as far as + noun + (is/are) + concerned

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 3 (IN MY OPINION): in sense 3 the subject is a person and introduces personal opinion; in sense 4 the subject is a topic and narrows the discussion to that aspect. Both use the same 'as far as ... concerned' structure.

Common Mistakes

As far as the cost, we can manage.
As far as the cost is concerned, we can manage.
the verb 'is' and 'concerned' must complete the phrase.
Concerned the schedule, everything is on track.
As far as the schedule is concerned, everything is on track.
the full fixed expression is required.

5. Having a particular subject as its main focus; dealing with a specific topic, is

5.adjectiveB1
Definition

Having a particular subject as its main focus; dealing with a specific topic, issue, or person.

Example

The documentary is concerned with the history of wind energy in rural Taiwan.

pattern: '[work] is concerned with [subject]' for topic

Much of Christopher's research is concerned with how children develop language skills in bilingual households.

Common collocations
  • be concerned with
  • mainly concerned with
  • largely concerned with
  • primarily concerned with
Synonyms
  • about

    simpler and more direct; 'a book about birds' is more common than 'a book concerned with birds'

  • deals with

    suggests active coverage and examination of a topic; common in academic contexts

  • covers

    implies broad treatment of a topic from multiple angles

Grammar Patterns

be concerned with + noun/gerund

Usage Note

This sense uses 'concerned with', NOT 'concerned about' or 'concerned in'. 'Concerned with' signals subject matter; 'concerned about' signals worry (sense 1); 'concerned in' signals involvement (sense 2). Choosing the wrong preposition changes the meaning completely.

Common Mistakes

The book is concerned about climate change.' (when meaning 'the book is about').
The book is concerned with climate change.
'about' triggers the WORRIED sense; 'with' signals subject matter.
His talk concerned with nutrition was very helpful.
His talk was concerned with nutrition and was very helpful.
'concerned with' follows 'be', not placed directly after the noun.
Idioms

as/so far as I am concerned

idiom

This phrase introduces your own personal opinion about something.

As far as I am concerned, this movie is too long.

You can leave early as far as I am concerned.

as/so far as somebody/something is concerned

idiom

This phrase is used to talk about a particular person or thing when giving facts or opinions.

As far as the weather is concerned, today is perfect for a picnic.

The project is on schedule as far as the manager is concerned.

Word family

  • concern
    nounB1
  • concern
    verbB1
  • concerning
    prepositionB2
  • unconcerned
    adjectiveB2
  • concernedly
    adverbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe negative mental states, but they differ in intensity, cause, and register. 'Worried' is the most general and colloquial — it describes everyday fears about real problems (e.g., worried about an exam). 'Concerned' is slightly more formal and suggests genuine care for the person or issue at risk; it appears frequently in news reports and official statements. 'Anxious' emphasises nervousness and physical symptoms of unease, often about something uncertain in the future. 'Troubled' is the strongest — it implies deep, long-lasting disturbance that affects one's overall peace of mind, often provoked by serious moral or social issues. For practical choices: use 'worried' in casual conversation, 'concerned' in professional or written contexts, 'anxious' when focusing on nervous feelings, and 'troubled' only for deeply upsetting situations.

worried ↗anxious ↗troubled ↗uneasy

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • as far as ___ is concerned
  • all parties concerned

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

'Concerned' comes from the Latin verb 'concernere', meaning 'to sift together' or 'to mix'. The prefix 'con-' means 'together', and 'cernere' means 'to sift or separate'. The word passed through Old French 'concerner' (to relate to) before entering Middle English. The adjective form 'concerned' was used by the 1600s to describe someone who was affected or involved in something; the meaning of 'worried' developed later, from the idea that if something 'concerns' you (relates to you), it can naturally cause anxiety.