anxiety
- 01 B1 Intermediate
a feeling of being worried or nervous about something in the future.
a state of mental uneasiness, nervousness, or apprehension concerning an uncertain event or outcome.
Simple“I always feel a bit of anxiety before I have to speak in front of a large group.”
In context“The sudden change in the company's leadership created a climate of deep anxiety among the long-term employees regarding their job security.”
UsageOften used with the preposition 'about' or 'over'.
PitfallHe has an anxiety about the exam. He feels anxiety about the exam.When talking about the general feeling, 'anxiety' is usually uncountable and does not need 'an'.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a medical condition where you feel very worried or scared most of the time.
a psychological disorder characterised by excessive, persistent, and often irrational worry about everyday situations.
Simple“She started seeing a therapist to help her manage her social anxiety.”
In context“Clinical anxiety often manifests through physical symptoms such as a rapid heartbeat, shallow breathing, and persistent insomnia.”
UsageCan be used as a countable noun when referring to specific clinical diagnoses.
Synonymsanxiety disorder - 03 C1 Advanced
a strong and nervous wish to do something or to please someone.
an eager or distressing desire to achieve something or to satisfy a requirement.
Simple“In his anxiety to finish the project on time, he made several small mistakes.”
In context“The candidate's obvious anxiety to impress the board occasionally resulted in overly rehearsed and unnatural responses during the interview.”
UsageUsually followed by an infinitive verb (e.g., 'anxiety to please').
SynonymseagernesskeennessAntonyms
Usage anxiety depression · anxiety disorder · increased anxiety
“Limited research on rodents suggests histamine can affect the parts of the brain involved in anxiety and stress, raising questions about whether it could influence mood-related symptoms.”
“Southampton woman Lauren has health anxiety that gets worse during the hot weather.”
Borrowed from Latin anxietās, from anxius (“anxious, solicitous, distressed, troubled”), from angō (“to distress, trouble”), akin to Ancient Greek ἄγχω (ánkhō, “to choke”). Equivalent to anxious + -ety. See anger; angst.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.