Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
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noun
A person who worries excessively, especially about unimportant matters.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: bundle of nerves, worrier, bag of nerves, jitterbug, nervous Nellie, nervous wreck, neurotic, obsessive, tightass, wiener, worryguts, worrywart
Antonyms: none provided
noun
thinks about unfortunate things that might happen
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: worrier, fuss-budget, fusspot
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: spoilsport, killjoy, wet blanket, party pooper
History
From worry + wart, apparently chosen for alliteration. Presumably related to earlier worryguts. Attested 1956, but earlier examples are found in newspapers of the 1930s and 1940s.
Across languages
15 source translations are retained for this English entry.
