anxious

play

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.

anxiously

adverb

anxiousness

noun

See anxious defined for English-language learners

See anxious defined for kids

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 of anxious from the Web

Ebony borrowed her truck and left without eating breakfast, anxious to see an apartment in person.

— alden woods, azcentral, "60 days to find a home: Lack of affordable housing forces renters to settle", 2 July 2017
For those who are leaving their pets at home, the ThunderShirt dog anxiety vest applies gentle, constant pressure to anxious dogs and cats, creating a calming sensation during events like fireworks and thunderstorms.

— mallorie sullivan, Cincinnati.com, "Here are 3 ways to keep your pets safe during fireworks this Fourth of July", 1 July 2017
The day will include tough decisions early and anxious moments late.

— fletcher page, The Courier-Journal, "John Calipari's day of basketball, airplanes, tough decisions and anxious moments", 22 June 2017
Depending on how bad the Obamacare replacement bill is, voters may be just as anxious to move on from Republican leadership during the midterm elections.

— jeff darcy, cleveland.com, "What the Senate health bill covers: Darcy cartoon", 22 June 2017
His duty done, Steele waited with anxious anticipation for the official consequences.

— howard blum, The Hive, "How Ex-Spy Christopher Steele Compiled His Explosive Trump-Russia Dossier", 19 June 2017
An anxious-to-get-there McCaffrey finally was eligible to attend the Panthers’ minicamp, after an NFL and NCAA rule had prevented him from prior participation.

— jourdan rodrigue, charlotteobserver, "No-name takes a swing at Luke Kuechly, plus other observations from Panthers minicamp", 15 June 2017
More than eight out of 10 travelers are anxious about their safety, according to the latest Global Rescue Travel Safety Survey.

— christopher elliott, The Seattle Times, "These gadgets and apps may help you travel worry-free", 2 June 2017
For all their resilience, equity investors remain anxious about an economy that has recently given uneven evidence of its vigor just as the Federal Reserve prepares to raise interest rates.

— lu wang, Bloomberg.com, "Stuck for Months, S&P 500 Manages Weekly Gain for Restless Bulls", 2 June 2017

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.

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.

Origin and Etymology of anxious

Latin anxius; akin to Latin angere to strangle, distress — more at anger

NEW!

First Known Use: 1548

See Words from the same year

Synonym Discussion of 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

Other Psychology Terms

fetish, hypochondria, intelligence, mania, narcissism, neurosis, pathological, psychosis, schadenfreude, subliminal

ANXIOUS Defined for English Language Learners

anxious

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adjective

Definition of anxious for English Language Learners

: afraid or nervous especially about what may happen : feeling anxiety
: causing or showing fear or nervousness
: wanting or eager to do or have something very much especially because of fear or nervousness

ANXIOUS Defined for Kids

anxious

play

adjective anx·ious \ˈaŋk-shəs\

Definition of anxious for Students

1 : afraid or nervous about what may happen The parents were anxious about the child's health.
2 : causing or showing fear or nervousness an anxious moment
3 : wanting very much : eager She is anxious to get home.

anxiously

adverb Her parents waited anxiously for her.

Medical Dictionary

anxious

play

adjective anx·ious \ˈaŋ(k)-shəs\

Medical Definition of anxious

1: characterized by extreme uneasiness of mind or brooding fear about some contingency anxious students
2: characterized by, resulting from, or causing anxiety an anxious time in the hospital waiting room