anxiousadjective
uk/ˈæŋk.ʃəs/us/ˈæŋk.ʃəs/anxious adjective (WORRIED)
B1 worried and nervous:
My mother always gets a bit anxious if we don't arrive when we say we will.
I saw my sister's anxious face at the window.
The drought has made farmers anxious about the harvest.
More examples
- There was nothing in his demeanour that suggested he was anxious.
- Knots of anxious people stood waiting in the hall.
- I've never seen her worried or anxious in any way - she's so laid-back.
- It's natural that you should feel anxious when you first leave home.
- As the date of his operation drew near, he became more and more anxious.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Anxious and worried
- (all) hot and bothered idiom
- -racked
- a bundle of nerves idiom
- aflutter
- agitate
- alarmed
- apprehensive
- awkward
- demented
- dread
- get in a sweat idiom
- grim
- harassed
- haunted
- have a cow idiom
- prey on sth
- rattled
- rest easy idiom
- restive
- restless
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anxious adjective (EAGER)
B2 eager to do something:
Developing countries that are anxious for hard currency can rarely afford to protect the environment.
[ + to infinitive ] I'm anxious to get home to open my presents.
[ + that ] I'm anxious that we get there on time because I don't think there'll be many seats left.
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
- fanatical
- fascinated
- fasten
- fasten on/upon sth
- float sb's boat idiom
- flushed
- flutter
- knot
- overzealous
- passionate
- pop-eyed
- potty
- psyched
- sniff
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anxiously
adverb uk/ˈæŋk.ʃəs.li/us/ˈæŋk.ʃəs.li/
B2
We waited anxiously by the phone.
Tomorrow the children will receive their anxiously (= eagerly) awaited presents.