anxious

adjective

anx·ious | \ ˈaŋ(k)-shəs

Definition of anxious

1 : characterized by extreme uneasiness of mind or brooding fear about some contingency : worried anxious parents

2 : characterized by, resulting from, or causing anxiety : worrying They spent an anxious night.

3 : ardently or earnestly wishing She was anxious to learn more.

Other Words from anxious Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Can anxious Be Used as a Synonym for eager? More Example Sentences Learn More about anxious

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Choose the Right Synonym for anxious

eager, avid, keen, anxious, athirst mean moved by a strong and urgent desire or interest. eager implies ardor and enthusiasm and sometimes impatience at delay or restraint. eager to get started avid adds to eager the implication of insatiability or greed. avid for new thrills keen suggests intensity of interest and quick responsiveness in action. keen on the latest fashions anxious emphasizes fear of frustration or failure or disappointment. anxious not to make a social blunder athirst stresses yearning but not necessarily readiness for action. athirst for adventure

Can anxious Be Used as a Synonym for eager?

The fact that individual words can have multiple senses that are closely related in meaning is something which many people find objectionable about the English language. Anxious is an example of such a word, as people will use it to mean "worried," "eager (but with an undertone of worry)," and simply "eager."

The word has been used in the sense of "eager" for a considerable length of time, with evidence going back at least to the 17th century.

Examples of anxious in a Sentence

… to the eye anxious for reform in the city and forgetful of conditions in the countryside … — Joseph A. Amato, Dust, 2000 He was exhausted yet exhilarated, anxious … about getting on the ice with a team that had a chance to win. — Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated, 20 Mar. 2000 The individual states—fearful of losing industry and richer residents to lower-tax rivals and anxious to minimize their burden of needy citizens … — Atlantic, May 1997 He was so anxious to get a fly into the water that he had to reproach himself for haste. — John Cheever, The Wapshot Chronicle, 1957 She feels anxious and depressed. People are anxious about the future. He was anxious that the weather would not improve in time for the party. We experienced a few anxious moments as we waited to hear the results of the test. It was an anxious night as she waited for her children to come home. He was waiting at the door with an anxious expression on his face. He was anxious for more news.

Recent Examples on the Web

Other swaths of teens report feeling lonelier, more anxious, and more depressed when using social media. — Jennie Neufeld, Vox, "Vox Sentences: China goes after its Muslim population," 13 Sep. 2018 Lowes, 36, will play the adorably anxious and desperately single waitress Dawn — with Shapiro as the eccentric (and persistent) Ogie, courting her. — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE.com, "Scandal's Katie Lowes and Husband Adam Shapiro Will Costar in Broadway's Waitress," 11 July 2018 This will give you a chance to see if your dog suffers from motion sickness or exhibits any nervous or anxious behaviors about traveling. — Laurren Welch, Country Living, "Everything You Need to Know About Road-Tripping With Your Dog," 31 Jan. 2019 Getty Images/EyeEm For the socially anxious, or even just the socially inept, New Year’s Eve is a historically tough holiday. — E.j. Dickson, Vox, "How brands are capitalizing on your lack of plans.," 26 Dec. 2018 Although stress is a common and valid emotion, feeling stressed is not the same thing as feeling anxious or having clinical anxiety. — Elly Belle, Teen Vogue, "How to Cope With Stress," 1 Nov. 2018 But when the ferry arrives from the mainland, who should step onto the dock but Ariel herself — fit as a fiddle and anxious to investigate her own death. — Marilyn Stasio, New York Times, "Hate Thy Neighbor. Or Maybe Just Kill Him.," 6 July 2018 Some bewildered and anxious city employees were ushered out of 10th-floorcouncil offices after about 35 agents in business suits arrived in the lobby shortly before 1 p.m. — sandiegouniontribune.com, "May 15, 2003: FBI RAIDS CITY HALL," 15 May 2018 Why should this effect prove so helpful to the depressed, addicted, and anxious? — Krista Stevens, Longreads, "Why Psilocybin and LSD Don’t Deserve Their Bad Rap," 14 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'anxious.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.