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worry in advance
/ˈwʌri ɪn əˈdvæns/
to feel anxious about future events
She tends to worry in advance about her exams.
She often feels anxious about her upcoming exams.
informal
to feel anxious or concerned about future events or situations before they happen
He worries in advance about his job performance reviews.
He feels anxious about how his job performance reviews will go.
Parents often worry in advance about their children's safety.
Parents frequently feel concerned about their children's well-being before any actual danger occurs.
This phrase is commonly used to describe a tendency to anticipate negative outcomes and feel stress about them prematurely.
Collocations
worry in advance aboutto feel anxious about a specific future event or situation
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Usage Tip
This phrase is often used to describe a tendency to feel anxious about future events that may or may not happen. It can be used to express concern or to advise someone to avoid unnecessary stress.
Gold Rule
Avoid Overuse
While 'worry in advance' is a useful phrase, overusing it can make your speech or writing sound repetitive. Try to vary your language by using synonyms like 'anticipate stress' or 'preemptive anxiety'.
Word Origin
The phrase combines the verb 'worry' (to feel anxious) with the prepositional phrase 'in advance' (before something happens), emphasizing the premature nature of the anxiety.
Usage Notes
This phrase is often used to describe a personality trait or a habit of overthinking future scenarios. It can be used in both formal and informal contexts, though it is more common in casual conversation.
Word Breakdown
worry
to feel anxious or troubled
rootin advance
before something happens
phraseEnglish Dictionary