Synonyms of anxious

anxious

adjective

ˈaŋ(k)-shəs 

1

as in worried

feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty

was anxious about the play tryouts scheduled for the following day

Synonyms & Similar Words

• worried
• nervous
• upset
• uneasy
• apprehensive
• troubled
• hesitant
• concerned
• tense
• bothered
• perturbed
• uptight
• disturbed
• jittery
• ill at ease
• jumpy
• flustered
• insecure
• antsy
• queasy
• unquiet
• distraught
• obsessed
• on pins and needles
• preoccupied
• goosey
• freaked
• restless
• on edge
• nervy
• on tenterhooks
• dithery
• edgy
• het up
• distressed
• aggrieved
• disquieted
• aflutter
• fretful
• hinky
• atwitter
• vexed
• keyed up
• hung up
• foreboding
• fretting
• freaked-out
• shook-up
• unnerved
• fidgety
• misgiving
• unstrung
• high-strung
• qualmish
• fluttery
• undone
• stewing
• qualmy
• spooky
• skittish
• flighty
• twittered
• hypertense

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• easy
• calm
• collected
• relaxed
• cool
• sure
• confident
• nerveless
• happy-go-lucky
• controlled
• self-assured
• self-confident
• self-controlled

2

as in uneasy

marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings

the whole crowd seemed to make an anxious gasp as the home team almost fumbled the ball

Synonyms & Similar Words

• uneasy
• nervous
• disturbing
• tense
• restless
• unsettling
• distressful
• creepy
• unnerving
• distressing
• agitating
• worrisome
• fraught
• disquieting
• embarrassing
• hairy
• nerve-racking
• troublesome
• strained
• nail-biting
• awkward
• discouraging
• bothersome
• foreboding
• disheartening
• restive
• misgiving
• unrestful

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• easy
• comfortable
• quiet
• peaceful
• tranquil
• calming
• restful
• quieting
• pacific

3

as in excited

showing urgent desire or interest

I'm anxious for my birthday party

Synonyms & Similar Words

• excited
• eager
• enthusiastic
• avid
• keen
• hungry
• impatient
• ardent
• happy
• desirous
• pumped
• antsy
• enthused
• interested
• solicitous
• thirsty
• ready
• greedy
• nuts
• voracious
• stoked
• crazy
• agog
• gung ho
• great
• geeked
• willing
• raring
• juiced
• wild
• athirst
• bonkers
• chomping at the bit
• hopped-up
• champing at the bit
• engaged
• hot
• hepped up
• obsessed
• longing
• gaga
• glad
• ambitious
• restless
• covetous
• craving
• restive
• breathless
• pining
• inclined
• amenable
• hankering
• disposed
• appetent
• game
• hung up
• unreluctant

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• indifferent
• apathetic
• unenthusiastic
• unconcerned
• uninterested
• disinterested
• casual
• nonchalant
• aloof
• detached
• incurious
• reluctant
• insouciant
• unwilling
• hesitant
• impassive
• uneager
• stolid
• lukewarm
• loath
• lackadaisical
• languid
• averse
• spiritless
• halfhearted
• languorous
• disinclined

Synonym Chooser

How is the word anxious distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of anxious are athirst, avid, eager, and keen. While all these words mean "moved by a strong and urgent desire or interest," anxious emphasizes fear of frustration or failure or disappointment.

anxious not to make a social blunder

When would athirst be a good substitute for anxious?

Although the words athirst and anxious have much in common, athirst stresses yearning but not necessarily readiness for action.

athirst for adventure

How do avid and eager relate to one another, in the sense of anxious?

Avid adds to eager the implication of insatiability or greed.

avid for new thrills

When is eager a more appropriate choice than anxious?

The synonyms eager and anxious are sometimes interchangeable, but eager implies ardor and enthusiasm and sometimes impatience at delay or restraint.

eager to get started

Where would keen be a reasonable alternative to anxious?

While the synonyms keen and anxious are close in meaning, keen suggests intensity of interest and quick responsiveness in action.

keen on the latest fashions

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of anxious

After the ritual, Johnson, 30, spent the rest of the night in an anxious spiral, worrying that her career accolade might somehow disappear. —Katherine Cusumano, Outside, 21 Feb. 2026

Sometimes friends are indecisive or even anxious about planning. —R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2026

The best affordable pet products are ones that solve everyday annoyances—like odor, shedding, scratch damage, messy mealtimes or anxious behaviors. —Kasey Caminiti, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026

Some people drink coffee to replace meals, which will also contribute to that shaky, anxious sensation often caused by a drop in blood sugar. —Mira Miller, Verywell Health, 19 Feb. 2026