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

Online gaming and video-watching are such a normal part of teen-boy life that it’s almost impossible to avoid finding a community that speaks to whatever flavor of teen angst a boy might be experiencing.

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There is a lot of loose angst flying around by the end of the season, which is obviously not, or not meant to be, the end of the story.

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Instead of excitement and electricity there was apathy and angst.

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If the U.S. regresses in friendlies with Ecuador and Australia next month, the angst and despair that have hovered over the team most of the year will return.

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Of course, this particular high court ruling — and our general angst — has centered on Latino immigrants.

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Related Words

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