anxiously
Americanadverb
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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
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.
The small open spaces of the La Lucha neighborhood are filled with tents belonging to residents anxiously awaiting government repairs to their homes.
From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026
The couple anxiously contemplated the request before agreeing to lend Barnes £10,000, after he promised it would be repaid within a week.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
Technology stocks tumbled on Tuesday, extending a swoon that began in early June, as investors anxiously await the historic SpaceX IPO later this week and retreat from hot parts of the AI playbook.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 9, 2026
Technology stocks tumbled on Tuesday, extending a swoon that began in early June, as investors anxiously await the historic SpaceX IPO later this week and retreat from hot parts of the artificial-intelligence playbook.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 9, 2026
Mater Lumley glanced anxiously at her husband and seized a cardigan from the pile of knitted things, as if preparing to go out.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
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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.