anxiety attack

noun

plural anxiety attacks

: a sudden feeling or episode of anxiety

specifically : an episode of mild to severe worry, distress, or fear that may last for hours or days, is typically preceded by a period of gradually increasing levels of fear and worry (such as that associated with a perceived stressor or threat), and that has symptoms (such as increased heart rate and shortness of breath) similar to but often less intense than those associated with a panic attack

… the odds of coming across someone in college having an anxiety attack are fairly high.

—Alisa Patience

The mention of any political figure in the vicinity of my dining room table is enough to induce an anxiety attack.

—Anna Little

I remember getting ready to do the buffet scene on the lawn, and for some reason I got an anxiety attack. I could hardly move. I was terrified.

—Jack Nicholson

Examples of anxiety attack in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As the drugs and adrenaline wore off, doctors said, there were night terrors, anxiety attacks, tantrums. —Shira Rubin, Washington Post, 15 Jan. 2024

That woman ran out of the room, probably having her own anxiety attack. —Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 21 Nov. 2023

The Lopez family is back home now, albeit living amid a construction zone, showering at a neighbor’s house and having anxiety attacks at the thought of rain. —Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2023

Maksym, who has attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, has struggled to cope and has been having anxiety attacks, said his mother, Maryna Honcharova. —Maria Varenikova, New York Times, 21 Nov. 2023

An anxiety attack and general stress can trigger flares. —Adrienne Dellwo, Verywell Health, 18 Sep. 2023

One visual effects artist, who worked 64-hour weeks, told Vulture that the bids often led to understaffed projects, with some workers experiencing mental breakdowns and anxiety attacks. —Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 16 Aug. 2023

Other examples of tasks include providing guidance for people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf or calming a person with PTSD during an anxiety attack. —Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2023

The two incidents happening in tandem with each other resulted in anxiety attacks years later, which kicked in every time Cyrus had to perform. —Zack Sharf, Variety, 6 Sep. 2023

Word History

Etymology

probably after German Angstanfall or Angstattacke

First Known Use

1911, in the meaning defined above