The noun form related to the verb merimnaō (G3204). Denotes anxiety, worry, or care — particularly the kind that weighs down and distracts the soul. Jesus identifies it as a major spiritual threat in the Parable of the Sower.
In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus warns that 'the worries of this life' choke the word and make it unfruitful (Mark 4:19). Peter commands believers to cast all their anxiety on God because He cares for them (1 Peter 5:7). This word represents one of the greatest enemies of spiritual fruitfulness — not sin per se, but the distraction of temporal concerns that crowd out eternal priorities.