Synonyms

anxiously

American

[angk-shuhs-lee, ang-] / ˈæŋk ʃəs li, ˈæŋ- /

adverb

in an uneasy or worried manner.

My first call was to my wife, who had been anxiously awaiting word of my whereabouts.
in an earnestly desirous or eager manner.

They are anxiously awaiting the birth of their first child.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of anxiously

anxious ( def. ) + -ly

Vocabulary lists containing anxiously

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

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Spelling Practice, Unit 2

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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.

Though Taiwanese government officials have been anxiously waiting for Trump's decision on the latest arms package, people on the streets of Taipei were calm.

From Barron's • May 22, 2026

Pratt stayed behind, waiting anxiously for two hours, saying he saw no air support overhead.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026

Farmers have been anxiously waiting for the release of new quotas, saying they could provide a much-needed increase in demand for crops such as soybeans.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

Burmese TPS holders are waiting anxiously to see how these rulings could impact TPS altogether.

From Slate • Mar. 19, 2026

He thought of his father, always so afraid, always anxiously holding the world at bay.

From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell

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