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
Instead, adolescents in this study who received more parental monitoring suffered more anxiety symptoms.
—
Alvin Thomas, The Conversation, 5 Sep. 2025
Not your everyday anxiety Generalized anxiety disorder involves extreme worry or dread that interferes with a person's ability to function.
—Jon Hamilton, NPR, 5 Sep. 2025
Her rats' playfulness motivated her and eased feeling of loneliness, while her cats' soothing weight on her chest calmed her anxiety.
—Quinn Clark, jsonline.com, 5 Sep. 2025
On top of eating his feelings — not to mention smoking and drinking them — Candy, according to his son, a personal trainer, and others included in the doc, increasingly suffered from anxiety and panic attacks as his career slowed and his responsibilities as a businessman grew.
—Beandrea July, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for anxiety
Alvin Thomas, The Conversation, 5 Sep. 2025
Not your everyday anxiety Generalized anxiety disorder involves extreme worry or dread that interferes with a person's ability to function.
—Jon Hamilton, NPR, 5 Sep. 2025
Her rats' playfulness motivated her and eased feeling of loneliness, while her cats' soothing weight on her chest calmed her anxiety.
—Quinn Clark, jsonline.com, 5 Sep. 2025
On top of eating his feelings — not to mention smoking and drinking them — Candy, according to his son, a personal trainer, and others included in the doc, increasingly suffered from anxiety and panic attacks as his career slowed and his responsibilities as a businessman grew.
—Beandrea July, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for anxiety
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anxiety
Noun
-
But all friends need to be honest with each other, to tell each other home truths when it’s needed, to confront those awkward moments without fear of the reaction.—
Steve Sedgwick,
CNBC,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Two key points in the case were that board members who personally opposed the books took the action against the input of an advisory committee, and that the board members' action was based on speculative, not actual, fears of disruption.—
Taylor Seely,
AZCentral.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The Wax Child is about the dread of living in brutal hierarchies, and the shapes that friendship and protection take to counteract these grim realities.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Sep. 2025
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But on a day when Mizzou amassed 595 total yards, converted 4 of 5 fourth downs and got an excellent effort from first-year starting quarterback Beau Pribula, surrendering possession had to fill Kansas followers with a sense of dread.—
Blair Kerkhoff,
Kansas City Star,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The prospect of governments being ousted in Tokyo and Paris fueled further uncertainty, while investors voiced worry over expansive deficit spending in London and Berlin.—
Matthew Martin,
semafor.com,
7 Sep. 2025
-
My worry is that inaction is not a strategy.—
Shivaram Rajgopal,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In 2022, then UK Prime Minister Liz Truss unleashed a wave of market panic with unfunded tax cuts that forced the Bank of England into emergency action after 30-year gilt yields soared by over 100 basis points.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Rebecca Ferguson stars as Captain Olivia Walker, a senior White House official tasked with keeping the government functioning as panic sets in, while Idris Elba plays a top national security adviser who must balance strategy with morality.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
And Danielson noted that the team now has plenty of time to practice and give attention to areas of concern.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
9 Sep. 2025
-
At the same time, concern is growing about how certain food additives and preservatives may disrupt the gut’s delicate balance.—
Abby Norman,
Verywell Health,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The brief spasm, though, betrays an unease in the incredibly slim majority Johnson controls and the volatility in his base.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
8 Sep. 2025
-
That sense of unease has grown more in recent years, as shifting immigration policies fuel confusion about what protections still exist.—
David Rodriguez Muñoz,
Freep.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
London — Large crowds of people protesting the British government’s decision to ban the activist group Palestine Action gathered in London’s Parliament Square on Saturday, in a show of continuing support since it was designated as a terror organization in July.—
Kara Fox,
CNN Money,
6 Sep. 2025
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For Bear, the new arrangement is great about 99 percent of the time… the only drawback is that Nikki occasionally snaps back into her old self and screams in utter terror for a few seconds, before resuming the love-bombing.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
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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 9 Sep. 2025.
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