anxiety

noun

anx·​i·​ety aŋ-ˈzī-ə-tē How to pronounce anxiety (audio)
plural anxieties
1
a(1)
: apprehensive uneasiness or nervousness usually over an impending or anticipated ill : a state of being anxious
More Buddhist uprisings in South Vietnam in the spring of 1966 intensified my anxiety.Robert S. McNamara
I felt my anxiety rise as we pressed deeper underground.Jon Krakauer
(2)
medical : an abnormal and overwhelming sense of apprehension and fear often marked by physical signs (such as tension, sweating, and increased pulse rate), by doubt concerning the reality and nature of the threat, and by self-doubt about one's capacity to cope with it
b
: mentally distressing concern or interest
Yet the pace of a child's progress can also be a source of anxiety for mothers and fathers.Susan Ochshorn
c
: a strong desire sometimes mixed with doubt, fear, or uneasiness
… his anxiety to succeed and his continued nervousness over the possible bankruptcy of his shoe company caused her to lecture him about relaxing and caring for his health.William Drake
… present a gamble that consumers, in their anxiety to make an affordable deal, do not always appreciate.Stephen Koepp
2
: a cause of anxiety
… citizens stressed by gnawing economic and social anxieties.Michael Pertschuk
Choose the Right Synonym for anxiety

care, concern, solicitude, anxiety, worry mean a troubled or engrossed state of mind or the thing that causes this.

care implies oppression of the mind weighed down by responsibility or disquieted by apprehension.

a face worn by years of care

concern implies a troubled state of mind because of personal interest, relation, or affection.

crimes caused concern in the neighborhood

solicitude implies great concern and connotes either thoughtful or hovering attentiveness toward another.

acted with typical maternal solicitude

anxiety stresses anguished uncertainty or fear of misfortune or failure.

plagued by anxiety and self-doubt

worry suggests fretting over matters that may or may not be real cause for anxiety.

financial worries

Examples of anxiety in a Sentence

feelings of anger and anxiety She suffers from chronic anxiety. He's been feeling a lot of anxiety about his new job.
Recent Examples on the Web And its misuse can increase the risk of children developing anxiety, depression and eating disorders. Cristiano Lima-Strong, Washington Post, 25 Mar. 2024 But to keep the case alive the agency will have to present additional, concrete, evidence that Apple’s anxieties about its products being devalued led it to act in ways that caused actual harm. Lauren Goode, WIRED, 24 Mar. 2024 While there are conditions that cannot be officially diagnosed until adulthood, children experience many, like anxiety, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A. Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez, Parents, 23 Mar. 2024 The trend undoubtedly reflected material anxieties: Youth unemployment, which went unreported for six months, reached 18.4 percent in 2022 and now, with adjusted calculations, sits at 14.9 percent. Christina Knight, The Atlantic, 23 Mar. 2024 These issues caused frustration and anxiety among many mixed-status families at Sacramento State, said Kimberly Gomez, program coordinator for the Dreamer Resource Center, which provides help to undocumented students and individuals with mixed-status families. Mathew Miranda, Sacramento Bee, 22 Mar. 2024 Speaking about the win with MTV News Thursday, Rudd, 54, talked about his high anxiety during the game. Julie Mazziotta, Peoplemag, 22 Mar. 2024 Start talking or typing about anxiety and the app generates the kind of comforting, sympathetic statements therapists are trained to deliver. Matthew Perrone, Quartz, 22 Mar. 2024 In navigating those pressures, Miles experiences a panic attack that forces him to confront the manifestations of his anxiety and learn that reaching out for help can be just as brave an act as protecting his city from evil. Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 21 Mar. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

Middle English anxiete, borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French anxieté, borrowed from Latin anxietāt-, anxietās "apprehensive uneasiness, worry, solicitude," from anxius "worried, disturbed, anxious" + -etāt-, -etās, variant of -itāt-, -tās -ity

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Time Traveler
The first known use of anxiety was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near anxiety

Cite this Entry

“Anxiety.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anxiety. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

anxiety

noun
anx·​i·​ety aŋ-ˈzī-ət-ē How to pronounce anxiety (audio)
plural anxieties
1
: fear or nervousness about what might happen
2
: fearful concern or interest
anxiety to succeed

Medical Definition

anxiety

noun
anx·​i·​ety aŋ-ˈzī-ət-ē How to pronounce anxiety (audio)
plural anxieties
1
a(1)
: apprehensive uneasiness or nervousness usually over an impending or anticipated ill : a state of being anxious
(2)
: an abnormal and overwhelming sense of apprehension and fear often marked by physical signs (such as tension, sweating, and increased pulse rate), by doubt concerning the reality and nature of the threat, and by self-doubt about one's capacity to cope with it
b
: mentally distressing concern or interest
Yet the pace of a child's progress can also be a source of anxiety for mothers and fathers.Susan Ochshorn, Parenting
2
: a cause of anxiety
… the younger children, faced with a new school, harder subjects and the myriad anxieties that thread childhood and adolescence …Charisse Jones, The New York Times

More from Merriam-Webster on anxiety

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