anxiety attack

American

[ang-zahy-i-tee-uh-tak] / æŋˈzaɪ ɪ ti əˌtæk /

noun

a sudden, intense feeling or episode of anxiety, typically accompanied by physical symptoms such as increased heart rate; a less acute panic attack.

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

anxiety attacks

plural

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.

Responding via Instagram, Ariana Grande said she was "disheartened" to see the comments and claimed she'd left the event early because she "had an anxiety attack".

From BBC • Oct. 22, 2024

He was diagnosed with a severe anxiety attack, according to the attorney.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2024

“No. I want you to explain why I had an anxiety attack the other night.”

From Slate • Oct. 28, 2023

Indeed, if you count yourself among them, there are some scenes here that might unsettle you as they effectively demonstrate to the viewer what an anxiety attack feels like.

From Salon • May 5, 2023

One night he had an anxiety attack that woke him up.

From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023