anxietynoun
uk/æŋˈzaɪ.ə.ti/us/æŋˈzaɪ.ə.t̬i/anxiety noun (WORRY)
B2 [ U ] an uncomfortable feeling of nervousness or worry about something that is happening or might happen in the future:
Children normally feel a lot of anxiety about their first day at school.
That explains his anxiety over his health.
Her son is a source of considerable anxiety.
[ C ] something that causes a feeling of fear and worry:
job anxieties
More examples
- I regret any anxiety or concern that I may, unwittingly, have caused.
- Jack observed a look of anxiety on his brother's face.
- She felt acute anxiety at his behaviour.
- Women tend to internalize all their anxiety and distress - men hit out.
- Years of anxiety have lined her brow with deep furrows.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Anxiety and worry - general words
- agitation
- angst
- apprehension
- consternation
- discomfit
- discomfort
- nerve
- oppression
- overwork
- panic attack
- perturbation
- preoccupation
- restive
- strain
- tizzy
- trepidation
- uneasiness
- vexation
- willie
- yip
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anxiety noun (EAGERNESS)
[ U + to infinitive ] eagerness to do something:
Peter's leaving at the end of this week - hence his anxiety to get his work finished.
More examples
- She eased the key into the lock, anxious not to wake anyone.
- The mayor and the city council are anxious to avoid getting entangled in the controversy.
- The universities are anxious to preserve their autonomy from central government.
- I'm anxious to avoid the motorway at rush hour.
- We left early, anxious to make it back to Florence before sundown.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Excited, interested and enthusiastic
- aflutter
- agog
- all of a flutter idiom
- amped
- animated
- be as high as a kite idiom
- delirious
- exhilarated
- fanatical
- fascinated
- fasten
- fasten on/upon sth
- flushed
- flutter
- overheated
- overzealous
- passionate
- pop-eyed
- potty
- sniff
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anxiety noun (MEDICAL CONDITION)
[ U ] a medical condition in which you always feel frightened and worried:
He has helped patients suffering from anxiety, depression, and eating disorders.
an anxiety disorder/attack
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Mental & psychiatric disorders
- ad
- adjustment disorder
- age-associated memory impairment
- anhedonia
- anorexia nervosa
- eating disorder
- learning difficulties
- male menopause
- melancholia
- obsessive
- paranoia
- persecution complex
- PTSD
- sad
- schizophrenia
- schizophrenic
- seasonal affective disorder
- Sen
- Stockholm syndrome
- visual variant of Alzheimer's disease
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