full of mental distress or uneasiness because of fear of danger or misfortune; greatly worried; solicitous: Her parents were anxious about her poor health.
earnestly desirous; eager (usually followed by an infinitive or for): anxious to please; anxious for our happiness.
attended with or showing solicitude or uneasiness: anxious forebodings.
Origin of anxious
1615–25; <Latin anxius worried, distressed, derivative of angere to strangle, pain, distress; cf. anguish, -ous
The earliest sense of anxious (in the 17th century) was “troubled” or “worried”: We are still anxious for the safety of our dear sons in battle. Its meaning “earnestly desirous, eager” arose in the mid-18th century: We are anxious to see our new grandson. Some insist that anxious must always convey a sense of distress or worry and object to its use in the sense of “eager,” but such use is fully standard.
If you’re anxious about running into problems exercising your right to vote this election, you’re not alone.
ProPublica’s Pandemic Guide to Making Sure Your Vote Counts|by Susie Armitage|September 16, 2020|ProPublica
After cost concerns ended prospective bids including from Hamburg, Budapest, Boston and Rome, the IOC was anxious to secure the future of the world’s biggest event for the next decade and persuaded Los Angeles to step aside for four years.
Want to Host the Olympics? Plan to Go Over Budget|Fiona Zublin|September 14, 2020|Ozy
Suddenly, people were at home all day, feeling anxious and fearful about the future and spending a lot more time online.
How Trump And COVID-19 Have Reshaped The Modern Militia Movement|Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux|September 4, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
In this anxious environment, consumers don’t want to waste time or visit stores on the off chance they’ll find what they’re looking for.
A Corona Xmas: Why physical stores will power online shopping this holiday season|Greg Sterling|September 4, 2020|Search Engine Land
The educational value of its products, which the company has been touting for a while, has become a major selling point for parents anxious about their kids’ education.
Legos are proving to be the perfect pandemic toy|Karen Ho|September 4, 2020|Quartz
He said Jay was anxious and wondering why it was taking so long for the police to arrive.
Adnan Killed Her! No, Jay Did It! Serial’s Uncertain, True-to-Reality End|Emily Shire|December 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A Simba commander yelled the order and anxious rebels began ricocheting bullets into the fleeing group.
‘Argo’ in the Congo: The Ghosts of the Stanleyville Hostage Crisis|Nina Strochlic|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The unemployed have a right to be anxious about the ravages on their families exacted by their unemployment.
Ebola, ISIS, the Border: So Much to Fear, So Little Time!|Gene Robinson|November 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
On the one hand, she was anxious about her colleagues knowing about her kink.
Coming Out Kinky to Your Doctor, in Black and Blue|Heather Boerner|October 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Democrats have been anxious not to nationalize the election as a referendum on President Obama.
What the GOP Will Do If It Wins Congress|Stuart Stevens|October 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Bill was anxious to get back to poor Jack, who he remembered was well-nigh starving.
From Powder Monkey to Admiral|W.H.G. Kingston
Tildy was dumpy, plain-faced, and too anxious to please to please.
The Four Million|O. Henry
The next morning a great crowd of natives had gathered, and were anxious to get into the boat.
King Philip|John S. C. (John Stevens Cabot) Abbott
May I ask you to present them with my best—best and most anxious regards?
Alice, or The Mysteries, Complete|Edward Bulwer-Lytton
I daresay the Count has told you that he would not work any more for us, and you are anxious to arrange the matter?
A Cigarette-Maker's Romance|F. Marion Crawford
British Dictionary definitions for anxious
anxious
/ (ˈæŋkʃəs, ˈæŋʃəs) /
adjective
worried and tense because of possible misfortune, danger, etc; uneasy
fraught with or causing anxiety; worrying; distressingan anxious time
intensely desirous; eageranxious for promotion
Derived forms of anxious
anxiously, adverbanxiousness, noun
Word Origin for anxious
C17: from Latin anxius; related to Latin angere to torment; see anger, anguish