anxiety

[ang-zahy-i-tee]

noun

plural

anxieties 

1. distress or uneasiness of mind caused by fear of danger or misfortune.

   He felt anxiety about the possible loss of his job.

   Synonyms: disquiet, worry, foreboding, fear
   Antonyms: tranquility, serenity, certainty

2. earnest but tense desire; eagerness.

   He had a keen anxiety to succeed in his work.

3. Psychiatry.,  a state of apprehension and psychic tension occurring in some forms of mental disorder.

anxiety

/ æŋˈzaɪɪtɪ /

noun

1. a state of uneasiness or tension caused by apprehension of possible future misfortune, danger, etc; worry

2. intense desire; eagerness

3. psychol a state of intense apprehension or worry often accompanied by physical symptoms such as shaking, intense feelings in the gut, etc, common in mental illness or after a very distressing experience See also angst

anxiety

1. A state of apprehension and fear resulting from the anticipation of a threatening event or situation.

2. ◆ In psychiatry, a patient has an anxiety disorder ◆ if normal psychological functioning is disrupted or if anxiety persists without an identifiable cause.

anxiety

1. Emotional distress, especially that brought on by fear of failure. (See also angst.)

Word History and Origins

Origin of anxiety¹

First recorded in 1515–25; from Latin anxietās, equivalent to anxi(us) anxious + -etās, variant of -itās before a vowel

Word History and Origins

Origin of anxiety¹

C16: from Latin anxietas; see _anxious

Synonym Study

See apprehension.

Example Sentences

Every single one of them has reported dramatically elevated levels of stress and anxiety among their clients.

Read more on Salon

She posts videos sharing about her anxiety and medication with more than 5,700 followers while dancing, putting on makeup and sipping Starbucks.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

At its heart, the book is a record of Baek's conversations with her psychiatrist as she navigates dysthymia - a mild but long-lasting type of depression - and anxiety disorders.

Read more on BBC

Now, after years of economic anxiety and bad news cycles, that comfort has become cool.

Read more on Salon

Barack Obama, both the man and the symbol, is the personification of these white racial fears and anxieties.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• angst 
• apprehension 
• concern 
• disquiet 
• doubt 
• dread 
• jitters www.thesaurus.com
• misery 
• misgiving 
• mistrust 
• nervousness 
• panic 
• restlessness 
• suffering 
• suspense 
• trouble 
• uncertainty 
• unease 
• uneasiness www.thesaurus.com