concern

That which affects one’s welfare or happiness. A matter of interest to someone.

Noun

  1. That which affects one’s welfare or happiness. A matter of interest to someone.
    • Mark’s health was of great concern to Connie.
    • We drove back to the office with some concern on my part at the prospect of so large a case. Sunning himself on the board steps, I saw for the first time Mr. Farquhar Fenelon Cooke. He was dressed out in broad gaiters...
    • Although the encounter was bathed in sunshine, the match failed to reach boiling point but that will be of little concern to Gerard Houllier’s team, who took a huge step forward before they face crucial matches against...

    Synonyms: interest

    Antonyms: unconcern

  2. The placement of interest or worry on a subject.
    • Most people in Australia have no concern for the recent events in London.
  3. A worry; a sense that something may be wrong; an identification of a possible problem.
    • Let me know if you have any questions or concerns about the document.
  4. The expression of solicitude, anxiety, or compassion toward a thing or person.
    • Judy's eyes filled with concern as she listened to the news report.
    • Appleby […] rose from his seat when Morales came in. He shook hands urbanely, unbuckled his sword, and laid his kepi on the table, and then sat down with an expression of concern in his olive face which Appleby fancied...

    Synonyms: care trouble

  5. A business, firm or enterprise; a company.
    • The employees’ attitude is really hurting the concern.
    • a going concern
    • Then I remembered there was a big concern, a Company for trade on that river. - 1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The...
  6. Any set of information that affects the code of a computer program.
    • At the programming level, an aspect is a modular unit that implements a concern. - 2006, Awais Rashid, Mehmet Aksit, Transactions on Aspect-Oriented Software Development II, page 148:

Origin

Borrowed from Middle French concerner, from Medieval Latin concernō, concernere (“I distinguish, have respect to”), from Latin concernō (“to mix, sift, or mingle together, as in a sieve”), combined form of con- + cernō (“distinguish”).

Forms

concerns

Derived

book concern concern group concernment concern troll concernworthy dual-use research of concern microconcern misconcern nonconcern overconcern separation of concerns unconcernment underconcern

Verb

  1. To relate or belong to; to have reference to or connection with; to affect the interest of; to be of importance to.
    • Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ. - 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Acts xxviii:31:
    • our wars with France have always affected us in our most tender interests, and concerned us more than those we have had with any other nation - 1708, Joseph Addison, The Present State of the War, and the Necessity of an...
    • ignorant, so far as the usual instruction was concerned - 1821, James Fenimore Cooper, The Spy:
  2. To engage by feeling or sentiment; to interest.
    • A good prince concerns himself in the happiness of his subjects.
    • They think themselves out the reach of Providence, and no longer concerned to solicit his favour. - a. 1729, John Rogers, A Sufficiency adjusted and recommended:
    • It had been his intention to go to Wimbledon, but as he himself said: “Why be blooming well frizzled when you can hear all the results over the wireless. And results are all that concern me.[…]” - 1935, George...
  3. To make somebody worried.
    • I’m concerned that she’s becoming an alcoholic.

Forms

concerns concerning concerned

Derived

as far as I'm concerned concernable overconcern to those it may concern to whom it may concern to whom this may concern