angst
Americannoun
noun
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an acute but nonspecific sense of anxiety or remorse
-
(in Existentialist philosophy) the dread caused by man's awareness that his future is not determined but must be freely chosen
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of angst
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
Explanation
Angst is a feeling of anxiety and frustration that isn't specific. People often feel angst about the state of the world, or about the state of their homework. Angst is anxiety that is mixed with frustration and negativity. Angst often doesn’t have a specific target: people feel angst in general. Teenagers are known for their angst, which is shown when they act miserable about nothing in particular. Often, angst refers to philosophical displeasure with world events or personal freedom. An angst-filled person is dissatisfied and unhappy.
Vocabulary lists containing angst
100 Words to Make You Sound Smart
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This Week in Words: October 13 – 20, 2018
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Don't Panic! Synonyms for "Stress"
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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.
But it’s likely such geopolitical and inflation angst may be put on the back burner as traders turn their focus to the U.S. second-quarter corporate earnings season.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026
Rescuers from the United States, Chile, Portugal, El Salvador, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Venezuela shared angst, and finally joy, when Gil emerged from his confinement around 9:00 a.m. on July 2nd.
From Barron's ● Jul. 7, 2026
As Joanne Kaufman writes, “What would summer on the beach be without chocolate and marshmallows between graham crackers—or without angst and wish fulfillment between book covers?”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
Let’s talk about the angst and awkwardness of teenage attraction.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026
And not just poems of sorrow or angst.
From "Watch Us Rise" by Renée Watson and Ellen Hagan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
