1
2
3

Synonym Chooser

How is the word anxious distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of anxious are athirst, avid, eager, and keen. While all these words mean "moved by a strong and urgent desire or interest," anxious emphasizes fear of frustration or failure or disappointment.

anxious not to make a social blunder

When would athirst be a good substitute for anxious?

Although the words athirst and anxious have much in common, athirst stresses yearning but not necessarily readiness for action.

athirst for adventure

How do avid and eager relate to one another, in the sense of anxious?

Avid adds to eager the implication of insatiability or greed.

avid for new thrills

When is eager a more appropriate choice than anxious?

The synonyms eager and anxious are sometimes interchangeable, but eager implies ardor and enthusiasm and sometimes impatience at delay or restraint.

eager to get started

Where would keen be a reasonable alternative to anxious?

While the synonyms keen and anxious are close in meaning, keen suggests intensity of interest and quick responsiveness in action.

keen on the latest fashions

Examples of anxious in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Related article More kids are anxious, but fewer are getting the right help, study shows Let those thoughts happen and then pass, said Saltz, who also recommends rehearsing a couple of lines to strike up future conversations. Madeline Holcombe, CNN, 18 Oct. 2024 Now, in the age of social media and instant criticism, stars are more anxious about taking it on. Pete Hammond, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2024 Some people are quick to anger, others have trouble focusing or are often drowsy, some are fearful or anxious, or react badly to change. John Werner, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024 Despite her success as a solo artist, Nicks remained anxious about performing on SNL. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 11 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for anxious 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'anxious.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near anxious

Cite this Entry

“Anxious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anxious. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on anxious

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!