anxiety
Americannoun
plural
anxieties-
distress or uneasiness of mind caused by fear of danger or misfortune.
He felt anxiety about the possible loss of his job.
- Synonyms:
- disquiet, worry, foreboding, fear
- Antonyms:
- tranquility, serenity, certainty
-
earnest but tense desire; eagerness.
He had a keen anxiety to succeed in his work.
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Psychiatry. a state of apprehension and psychic tension occurring in some forms of mental disorder.
noun
-
a state of uneasiness or tension caused by apprehension of possible future misfortune, danger, etc; worry
-
intense desire; eagerness
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psychol a state of intense apprehension or worry often accompanied by physical symptoms such as shaking, intense feelings in the gut, etc, common in mental illness or after a very distressing experience See also angst
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A state of apprehension and fear resulting from the anticipation of a threatening event or situation.
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◆ In psychiatry, a patient has an anxiety disorder ◆ if normal psychological functioning is disrupted or if anxiety persists without an identifiable cause.
Related Words
See apprehension.
Etymology
Origin of anxiety
First recorded in 1515–25; from Latin anxietās, equivalent to anxi(us) anxious + -etās, variant of -itās before a vowel
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
OpenAI is trying to change long-established habits around how people interact with technology, and fight growing anxiety about the impact that AI will have on the workforce and society writ large.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026
Yet investors didn’t show the same anxiety once trading started, sending the indices into a sort of fugue state.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
Cox Automative projected a US sales decline of 6.5 percent, with the boost from expected lofty tax refunds offset by affordability difficulties and anxiety about the war.
From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026
"I think for every player that comes in for the first time that is young, it is a big step for all of them. It brings some anxiety," Wiegman told BBC Radio 5 Live.
From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026
I adjusted the brim of my cap, my lingering anxiety giving way to a slight discomfort at being out here in the open where anyone could see us.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
