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What Does “No Worries” Mean? (Plus, When & How to Use It)
Last Updated: November 18, 2023 Fact Checked
- Origin & Spread
Alternative Phrases
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Bailey Cho . Bailey Cho is an Editing Fellow at wikiHow, based in Dallas, TX. She has over 2 years of editorial experience, with work published in student journals and lifestyle publications. Bailey graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in Advertising and a Minor in Business. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,289 times. Learn more...
The phrase “No worries” is used to tell someone not to worry about something, especially if they apologize or express concern to you. It’s one of the nicest ways to reassure someone that everything will be okay, but it can change meaning depending on the context of the conversation. In this article, we’ll explain all the possible meanings behind the phrase “No worries,” plus provide tips on how to use it properly.
Things You Should Know
- “No worries” is a friendly way to tell someone not to be concerned over a situation.
- Use “No worries” when someone apologizes to you or thanks you for a favor.
- Alternatively, use the phrases “Don’t worry about it” or “It’s no trouble at all” to ease someone’s guilt, anxiety, or concerns about something.
What does “No worries” mean?
- Since “No worries” is a colloquial phrase, it’s typically used in informal settings with loved ones. It’s still acceptable to use in the workplace with close colleagues, but opt for the formal expression “Don’t worry about it” if you want to sound more professional.
- To see if someone is being passive-aggressive, check for sulking, withdrawal, and unspoken feelings on their end. If they give you the silent treatment or start acting differently around you, they might be saying “No worries” when they’re actually upset. [3] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
When & How to Use “No Worries”
- Them: “I’m so sorry for picking you up late from school!”
- You: “No worries! I got a head start on my homework while I was waiting.”
- Them: “So sorry for submitting the final project late! I hope he doesn’t take points off😬”
- You: “No worries.”
- Them: “Thank you for helping me with the exam review. I seriously owe you one!”
- You: “No worries! I took this class last semester, so all the information was fairly easy to recall.”
Origin & Spread of “No Worries”
- “No worries” became a common expression in countries like New Zealand, Singapore, and Malaysia, but it gained popularity in the United States between the 1980s and the early 2000s—possibly due to the interactions between Australian and California-based surfers. [8] X Research source
- The slang expression may have also gained global popularity through pop culture and media. Hit movies like Crocodile Dundee , Finding Nemo , and The Lion King (through the phrase “Hakuna matata”) include the phrase “No worries.”
- “Don’t worry about it. We don’t expect you to know everything on the first day.”
- “Don’t worry about it! You can always ask Brittany if you need help with anything because it’s her job to train you.”
- “Don’t worry about it, Daniel. I understand that personal issues come up, and you’ve been doing an excellent job since you’ve been hired.”
- Them: “I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to dinner. I was feeling under the weather.”
- You: “That’s all right. I hope you feel better!”
- Them: “I feel terrible about asking you to attend the conference at the last minute.”
- You: “It’s no big deal! I had a great time, and I made a lot of great connections.”
- “It’s no trouble at all. I have experience babysitting my nieces all the time, so it should be a piece of cake!”
- “It’s no trouble at all! I am free after fifth period on Friday, so we can definitely meet up to go over your exam results.”
- “Seriously, it’s no trouble at all! I’m usually the one who makes slides for group projects, so I’m more than happy to update the presentation.”
- Them: “Thank you so much for helping me organize all the inventory.”
- You: “You’re welcome. It was actually a lot less work than I expected!”
- Them: “I’m worried about how the photos turned out.”
- You: “I totally get where you’re coming from, but at the end of the day, you submitted your best work and that’s all you could do. I say, “Hakuna matata!”
- Them: “Thanks again for doing my makeup for prom!”
- You: “No problem! You looked stunning😍”
- Them: “I was late to pick you up because of my hair appointment.”
- You: “It’s fine.”
Expert Q&A
You might also like.
- ↑ http://onlineslangdictionary.com/meaning-definition-of/no-worries
- ↑ https://preply.com/en/blog/most-passive-aggressive-phrases/
- ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/passive-aggressive/
- ↑ http://acronymsandslang.com/definition/7731637/No%20worries!-meaning.html
- ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/29/crosswords/texting-punctuation-period.html
- ↑ https://auslan.org.au/dictionary/words/no%20worries-1.html
- ↑ https://lens.monash.edu/@politics-society/2022/08/18/1384986/no-worries-looks-to-be-a-simple-little-expression-but-its-anything-but
- ↑ https://qz.com/192475/how-no-worries-became-a-thing-surfers-crocodile-dundee-and-the-lion-king
- ↑ https://7esl.com/ways-to-say-no-problem/
- ↑ https://www.dictionary.com/e/slang/hakuna-matata/
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Definition of 'no worries'
No worries in british english, examples of 'no worries' in a sentence no worries, trends of no worries.
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The phrase “No worries” is used to tell someone not to worry about something, especially if they apologize or express concern to you. It’s one of the nicest ways to reassure someone that everything will be okay, but it can change meaning depending on the context of the conversation.
How To Write Formal, Flawless Emails. “No Worries” Meaning. No worries is a shortened version of the phrase don’t worry about it. It expresses to the recipient that there is “no reason to worry.” It’s often used as a synonym for you’re welcome, but it can also be similar to saying that’s alright, sure thing, and forget about it.
an expression used to express agreement or to convey that something is proceeding or has proceeded satisfactorily; no problem. See full dictionary entry for worry. Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers. Examples of 'no worries' in a sentence. no worries.
"No worry" is generally used to signify the lack of worry, whereas "no worries" is a more idiomatic phrase that could be extended to something like "don't worry about it," and is often used when someone is being apologized to for something and instructing the person not to fret over the matter.
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English no worries British English spoken used to agree to what someone wants and to say that it will be no problem ‘Can you deliver on Thursday?’ ‘Yeah, no worries, mate.’ → worry Examples from the Corpus no worries • And he'd no worries, I know.