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View synonyms for anxious

anxious

[angk-shuhs, ang-]

adjective

  1. full of mental distress or uneasiness because of fear of danger or misfortune; greatly worried; apprehensive.

    Her parents were anxious about her poor health.

    Antonyms: confident, calm
  2. earnestly desirous; eager (usually followed by an infinitive orfor ): anxious for our happiness.

    anxious to please;

    anxious for our happiness.

    Antonyms: hesitant, reluctant
  3. attended with or showing solicitude or uneasiness.

    anxious forebodings.



anxious

/ ˈæŋkʃəs, ˈæŋʃəs /

adjective

  1. worried and tense because of possible misfortune, danger, etc; uneasy

  2. fraught with or causing anxiety; worrying; distressing

    an anxious time

  3. intensely desirous; eager

    anxious for promotion

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Word Forms

  • anxiously adverb
  • anxiousness noun
  • quasi-anxious adjective
  • unanxious adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of anxious1

First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin anxius “worried, distressed,” derivative of angere “to strangle, pain, distress”; anguish, -ous
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Word History and Origins

Origin of anxious1

C17: from Latin anxius; related to Latin angere to torment; see anger , anguish
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Compare Meanings

How does anxious compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

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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.

Though she survived, it made Mr Craney anxious about the creatures – something that grows with each splashy headline about an attack.

From BBC

He readily self-identifies as “selfish, anxious and panicky” and for some, a little of that may go a long way.

Locals around Tormusk Road told BBC Scotland News they were confused but not anxious about the amount of police in the area.

From BBC

Crying and shouting can be heard from the rubble, authorities said, while anxious relatives have camped out at the school overnight awaiting news of their loved ones.

From BBC

Tina’s anxious for some reason and keeps being like, “Well, we shouldn’t,” but she gets dragged along.

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anxiolyticanxiously