angst

[ahngkst, angst]

noun

1. a feeling of dread, anxiety, or anguish.

angst

/ æŋst, aŋst /

noun

1. an acute but nonspecific sense of anxiety or remorse

2. (in Existentialist philosophy) the dread caused by man's awareness that his future is not determined but must be freely chosen

angst

1. A kind of fear or anxiety; Angst is German for “fear.” It is usually applied to a deep and essentially philosophical anxiety about the world in general or personal freedom. (See existentialism.)

Other Word Forms

• angsty adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of angst¹

First recorded in 1840–50; from German Angst “fear, anxiety,” Old High German angust (cognate with Middle Low German angest, Middle Dutch anxt ), from ang- (akin to eng “narrow, constricted”) + -st, abstract noun suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of angst¹

German

Example Sentences

The pullback, a sign of caution among US businesses in the face of tariffs and consumer angst, comes as more people are looking for work in the cooling job market.

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Consumer angst about rising prices could open the door for tariffs to inch down further in coming months.

Read more on Barron's

AI Anxiety: Nvidia’s quarterly results offered a temporary reprieve from investor angst about AI.

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The current bout of investor angst is no different: a less dovish Federal Reserve, concerns about private credit and wariness about rich valuations, have all been cited as catalysts.

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Adding to the angst this past week was a parade of Federal Reserve officials casting doubt about another rate cut at the Dec. 9-10 policy meeting.

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Related Words

• agony 
• apprehension 
• dread 
• misgiving 
• nervousness 
• uneasiness www.thesaurus.com