care 1 of 2

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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

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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

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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
Sphynx cats typically enjoy a lifespan of 13 to 15 years, with some living even longer with proper care, according to Animal Elysium. Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 May 2025 In an October 2023 episode of The Kardashians, Khloé explained to viewers that Amari lives with a severe form of epilepsy called Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS), which requires him to use a wheelchair and receive round-the-clock care from his family. Esther Kang, People.com, 26 May 2025
Verb
Arden, to state the obvious, cares too much to be blasé about the quality of his work. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2025 Why care about all the bad things that have happened? Ashley Vega, People.com, 27 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for care
Recent Examples of Synonyms for care
Noun
  • That song actually came late to that album; we were done recording and then the song was brought to my attention by Jonathan Daniel, who was managing Butch Walker at the time, who produced three of the songs.
    Emily Palmer Heller, Vulture, 2 June 2025
  • This bespoke-level attention to craftsmanship is reflected in the buying process as well, with clients encouraged to first make an appointment to be fitted and styled at any of its 13 boutiques spread across the U.S. (five of which are in New York).
    Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 2 June 2025
Noun
  • Many of his followers are schoolboys — something that has sparked concern among educators worldwide.
    Willem Marx, NPR, 28 May 2025
  • While the insurance industry is not opposed to a study, the way this legislation is structured raises serious concerns.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2025
Noun
  • Because of the outsize anticipation, initial reports of delays and extensive rewrites on Season 2 created worries that the series’ intricate narrative puzzle might implode.
    Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025
  • There happens to be one available that would help ease any worry about Bosa's injury issues throughout the year.
    Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 May 2025
Noun
  • The interior ministry’s provisional assessment as of Sunday morning was that 559 people had been arrested, including 491 in Paris, which led to 320 people being placed in police custody, 254 of them in Paris.
    Reuters, CNN Money, 1 June 2025
  • After the flight left, Murphy ordered the men stay in DHS custody while the department conducts a credible fear assessment.
    Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 1 June 2025
Noun
  • Recent research from a collaboration between WTW and Directors and Boards explored the evolution of effective stewardship among boards.
    John M. Bremen, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
  • Hawaii became the first U.S. state to establish a climate impact fee on Tuesday, placing an additional tax on tourists to fund climate change resiliency projects and environmental stewardship within the islands.
    Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 29 May 2025
Noun
  • Adopt inventory management software and real-time tracking tools that offer clear visibility across all channels, helping to minimize overselling, underselling and stock discrepancies.
    Adam Ayers, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
  • The state's wildlife management agency picked up and transported the dead mountain lion without further incident.
    Rachel Raposas, People.com, 3 June 2025
Verb
  • Putnam watched his wife soar until the plane disappeared among the clouds.
    Laurie Gwen Shapiro, New Yorker, 2 June 2025
  • The growth indicates that viewers felt compelled to watch sooner rather than later in order to participate in the public discourse about the show.
    Stephen Battaglio, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025
Noun
  • The club is exercising extreme caution with the 24-year-old Mauricio.
    Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 30 May 2025
  • Out of an abundance of caution, Hormel Foods is voluntarily recalling 17,080 cases of a single code date of 20 oz.
    Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025

Cite this Entry

“Care.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/care. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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