as in anxiety
an uneasy state of mind usually over the possibility of an anticipated misfortune or trouble
don't be overcome with anxiousness about things that may never happen
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Recent Examples of anxiousness
But the roller-coaster experience added anxiousness to a landscape for Chinese students that already includes language and cultural barriers and a tight job market.
—
ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026
The anxiousness over the situation also stems from the way that Skydance’s purchase of Paramount Global went down last year.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 27 Feb. 2026
Once viewed as mere support cells for neurons, astrocytes are now thought to help tune brain circuits and thereby control overall brain state or mood — say, our level of alertness, anxiousness, or apathy.
—Ingrid Wickelgren, Quanta Magazine, 30 Jan. 2026
There is also a lot of anxiousness going on in my mind.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 18 Jan. 2026
That polling shows that, look, voters have a bit of wince or anxiousness about older candidates.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
Even so, Teller’s chatty anxiousness does contrast well with Turner’s smoldering, confident melancholy.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 26 Nov. 2025
It’s believed that some of her injuries were caused by the dog’s anxiousness, leading her to panic while in her crate.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
Eager, but unsupported Gen Z approaches AI with both enthusiasm and anxiousness.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2025
ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026
The anxiousness over the situation also stems from the way that Skydance’s purchase of Paramount Global went down last year.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 27 Feb. 2026
Once viewed as mere support cells for neurons, astrocytes are now thought to help tune brain circuits and thereby control overall brain state or mood — say, our level of alertness, anxiousness, or apathy.
—Ingrid Wickelgren, Quanta Magazine, 30 Jan. 2026
There is also a lot of anxiousness going on in my mind.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 18 Jan. 2026
That polling shows that, look, voters have a bit of wince or anxiousness about older candidates.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
Even so, Teller’s chatty anxiousness does contrast well with Turner’s smoldering, confident melancholy.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 26 Nov. 2025
It’s believed that some of her injuries were caused by the dog’s anxiousness, leading her to panic while in her crate.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
Eager, but unsupported Gen Z approaches AI with both enthusiasm and anxiousness.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anxiousness
Noun
-
Last year’s Public Service Commission flips were a blaring warning sign in a cycle dominated by voter anxiety over affordability and utility costs.—
Greg Bluestein,
AJC.com,
12 Apr. 2026
-
For weeks, Hilton and Bianco have led polls while eight prominent Democrats including Swalwell split the support of liberal voters, stoking anxiety among Democrats that the party could end up shut out of the November election.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Nearly a quarter of New Orleans residents live in poverty, and the prospect of a substantial windfall for a few hours’ work apparently outweighed any fear of getting into a car that was about to take part in a high-speed accident.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Esther says Kim had shared her fear of Terry Rose well before her disappearance.—
Peter Van Sant,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
However, boundaries have not been redrawn since the 1971 census, as successive governments delayed the process over concerns about uneven population growth.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Damaging winds and flooding remain the primary concerns for any storms that can form on Thursday.—
Ahmad Bajjey,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Put the worry of blisters behind you once and for all, and step into spring in style with the most comfortable shoes, according to the internet.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Burritt said the upshot is that his company, as a Nippon subsidiary, is freed from worries about geopolitical uncertainty.—
Cory Schouten,
semafor.com,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
That feeling can present in many ways — rumination, a knot in your throat or your chest, an unease in your stomach, the tensing of muscles.—
Goth Shakira
Contributing,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
-
John Maynard Keynes famously predicted in the 1930s that by 2030, a 15-hour work week would be possible—and then asked, with obvious unease, what people would do with all that free time.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Anxiousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anxiousness. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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