1
as in fear
an uneasy state of mind usually over the possibility of an anticipated misfortune or trouble
Dorothy's anxiety about her brother's operation kept her awake all night
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dread
the emotion experienced in the presence or threat of danger
the newly discovered virus is creating considerable anxiety in the public at large
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of anxiety
Still, this hasn't quelled the anxieties of anyone with a professional or layman's interest in space science.
—
Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 12 Sep. 2025
This is a case where people who have already gotten to know these characters and their travails on a small screen (the show ran for six seasons) are happy to spend extra money to bask in their further joys, sorrows, and anxieties writ large, on a big screen.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
Purifying your indoor air, lowering blood pressure, and helping reduce stress and anxiety are a few benefits.
—Essence, 12 Sep. 2025
Most of my family members — including my 83-year-old aunt in poor health, and my cousin with epilepsy and severe anxiety — are attending.
—Judith Martin, Mercury News, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for anxiety
Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 12 Sep. 2025
This is a case where people who have already gotten to know these characters and their travails on a small screen (the show ran for six seasons) are happy to spend extra money to bask in their further joys, sorrows, and anxieties writ large, on a big screen.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
Purifying your indoor air, lowering blood pressure, and helping reduce stress and anxiety are a few benefits.
—Essence, 12 Sep. 2025
Most of my family members — including my 83-year-old aunt in poor health, and my cousin with epilepsy and severe anxiety — are attending.
—Judith Martin, Mercury News, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for anxiety
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anxiety
Noun
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Mothers told Fletcher of sending their children to live elsewhere for fear they will be raped in the displacement camps, a constant worry.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
15 Sep. 2025
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The stock is still benefiting from having been dismissed and cheapened by prior fears of its search franchise being disrupted.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Dixon looks ahead with a mix of optimism and dread.—
Sarah Shephard,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025
-
The assassination of Charlie Kirk has united the parties in a sense of dread that the country has arrived at a dangerous place.—
Mike Lillis,
The Hill,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The worry is that these aren’t simple, one-off glitches, but systemic flaws with the way that generative tools are designed and built, and a lack of accountability for the behavior of AI algorithms.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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Taxes at that level were essentially a blockade on commerce between the world's two largest economies, causing worries about global growth that led to negotiations that ratcheted down the tariffs being levied by both nations.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Widespread panic and pain People who were not directly exposed to the disaster but who were exposed to the news also experience distress, anxiety or symptoms of PTSD.—
Arash Javanbakht,
The Conversation,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Naturally the thought of death came into one’s mind occasionally but one tried to be sensible about it, not getting into a panic, not pushing it away.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The vote to approve Miran’s nomination passed 48-47, along party lines, with Democrats expressing concern about the appointment impacting the central bank’s independence.—
Siladitya Ray,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Motiva is helping to eliminate this concern.—
Megan McIntyre,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
War games involving Russian and Belarusian troops on Monday spurred unease in Europe, which is already on edge after Russian drones entered Poland and Romania last week.—
J.D. Capelouto,
semafor.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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Pasteur himself didn’t opine on whether this might threaten existing life, but others were soon expressing unease following his breakthroughs in unlocking life’s chemical secrets.—
Thomas Moynihan,
Big Think,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Dallas police identified the suspect as Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, who is being held without bond on a charge of capital murder by terror threat.—
Nic F. Anderson,
CNN Money,
13 Sep. 2025
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Perhaps, though, Kubrick's cold view of Jack and choice to diminish some of King's sympathetic nuances serve to heighten the terror; how much does knowing the complex motivations of a domestic abuser help their victims?—
James Grebey,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Now, a grown-up Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) faces new and familiar frights after her equally goth daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega), opens a portal to the Netherworld and reawakens everyone's favorite pinstriped ghost.—
Emy LaCroix,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
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Haunted Scream Park opening weekend 'Tis the season for frights and delights!—
Caroline Ritzie,
The Enquirer,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Anxiety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anxiety. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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