English Reference
preposition · adjective

concerning

prep. · adj.
US /kənˈsɝnɪŋ/ UK /kənsˈɜːnɪŋ/ con·cern·ing

  1. 01 B1 Intermediate Formal

    prep.about or relating to a particular subject.

    prep.regarding or relating to; used as a formal preposition to introduce a topic.

    Simple

    The lawyer asked several questions concerning the events of last night.

    In context

    The board of directors issued a formal statement concerning the proposed merger and its potential impact on long-term shareholders.

    Usage

    Often used in professional or academic writing to replace the more common 'about'.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    adj.making you feel worried or anxious.

    adj.causing concern, anxiety, or apprehension; often used to describe a trend or piece of news.

    Simple

    The doctor said the test results were quite concerning and ordered more scans.

    In context

    The recent decline in local biodiversity is deeply concerning to environmental scientists who have been monitoring the region for decades.

Chief executive Pia Sinha said this was "not unusual", but "some of the calls have been worrying and concerning".

BBC News· 18 Aug 2026

When asked why he feels comfortable offering procedures that are concerning surgeons, Hussain says he "totally understands" why some are worried.

BBC News· 15 Aug 2026

From concern + -ing. The adjective and preposition follow from the verb.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Common
Updated