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Synonym Chooser

How is the word anxiety distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of anxiety are care, concern, solicitude, and worry. While all these words mean "a troubled or engrossed state of mind or the thing that causes this," anxiety stresses anguished uncertainty or fear of misfortune or failure.

plagued by anxiety and self-doubt

Where would care be a reasonable alternative to anxiety?

The meanings of care and anxiety largely overlap; however, care implies oppression of the mind weighed down by responsibility or disquieted by apprehension.

a face worn by years of care

When would concern be a good substitute for anxiety?

The words concern and anxiety can be used in similar contexts, but concern implies a troubled state of mind because of personal interest, relation, or affection.

crimes caused concern in the neighborhood

When is it sensible to use solicitude instead of anxiety?

The synonyms solicitude and anxiety are sometimes interchangeable, but solicitude implies great concern and connotes either thoughtful or hovering attentiveness toward another.

acted with typical maternal solicitude

When might worry be a better fit than anxiety?

The words worry and anxiety are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, worry suggests fretting over matters that may or may not be real cause for anxiety.

financial worries

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of anxiety Jail records from 2019 show that Ornelas suffered from depression and anxiety and had previously been placed on suicide watch. Kelly Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 July 2025 The crowd’s anxiety over their longtime infielder’s injury turned to jubilation just three pitches later, as Vinny Capra was called out looking. Sam Blum, New York Times, 3 July 2025 Matcha is less likely to trigger jitteriness and anxiety because its L-theanine content helps balance out the effects of caffeine. Sohaib Imtiaz, Verywell Health, 3 July 2025 Too much attention, often understandably driven by shareholder and financial analyst anxiety, is being placed on the lagging indicators of current performance. Paul Laudicina, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for anxiety
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anxiety
Noun
  • Rather than basing trades on company fundamentals or earnings outlooks, many investors appear to be reacting to market trends and peer activity — a pattern commonly associated with FOMO, or fear of missing out.
    Spriha Srivastava, CNBC, 10 July 2025
  • Humanitarian workers—many idealistic and committed—fear that sounding the alarm will end operations altogether.
    Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025
Noun
  • But there is a clinging dread and mystery in these stories that will stay with you.
    Drew Broussard July 8, Literary Hub, 8 July 2025
  • For Lawler, the incident drove home the growing problem of space junk—and left her with a sense of dread that’s never quite gone away.
    Dan Falk, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 July 2025
Noun
  • Their visits to the ophthalmologist are now every six months, but Maggie admits the worry never quite fades.
    Ashley Vega, People.com, 7 July 2025
  • Meanwhile, there was hand-wringing in the NASCAR garage over headlines about high crime and worries about whether the Cup Series cars would be able to have a good show on such a narrow course.
    Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 6 July 2025
Noun
  • Although the frustration of supporters is shared internally, there is no sense of panic — which is unlikely to pacify fans understandably impatient for additions following three successive windows without a first-XI signing.
    Chris Waugh, New York Times, 3 July 2025
  • That panic is causing bare shelves in grocery stores such as Publix, where media relations manager Nicole Maristany Krauss said the store is working with suppliers to stock shelves while providing value.
    Mackensy Lunsford, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Noun
  • Senate Republicans also added a $25 billion fund to help rural hospitals after some GOP senators expressed concern about how they could be affected by the change to provider taxes.
    July 1, CBS News, 1 July 2025
  • Trump's business assets are held by the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, which is controlled by his son, Donald Trump Jr., but government watchdog groups have nonetheless expressed concern about how Trump may be using his position as president to generate personal profits.
    Kelsey Walsh, ABC News, 1 July 2025
Noun
  • However, there is unease in the market about supply exceeding demand from 2027 onward, and a potential glut that could persist to the end of the decade dragging prices lower.
    Gaurav Sharma, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025
  • There is a certain unease that settles over a place when a familiar landmark begins to dissolve.
    Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Noun
  • Prosecutors are adding new first-degree murder charges to those already faced by terror suspect, who remains jailed.
    Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 1 July 2025
  • The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI are concerned about the potential for copycat attacks from the New Orleans terror attack on New Year's Day, as well as homegrown extremists.
    Luke Barr, ABC News, 1 July 2025
Noun
  • Well, consider that, unlike what’s happening in the world at large, the frights and delights inside Viola’s Room are actually fun.
    Christian Allaire, Vogue, 26 June 2025
  • Ah well, Cesare already has two sequel novels published, so there’s already plenty more Frendo the Clown frights ready to be harvested.
    Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 9 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Anxiety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anxiety. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.

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