anxiousness

American  

[angk-shuhs-nis, ang-] / ˈæŋk ʃəs nɪs, ˈæŋ- /

noun

1. the state of being greatly worried; mental distress or uneasiness because of fear of danger or misfortune; anxiety.

   The warm welcome from her new classmates made all her anxiousness go away.

2. the state of being earnestly desirous; eagerness (followed by to orfor ).

   As he sat in the cabin of the combat plane, he felt no fear or apprehension, just anxiousness to get airborne.

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Other Word Forms

• unanxiousness noun

Etymology

Origin of anxiousness

First recorded in 1630–40; anxious ( def. ) + -ness ( def. )

Example Sentences

When he was awake, he was gripped by anxiousness and fear.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

"It will just take the anxiousness away from every storm, every winter - even when it rains the anxiety levels are through the roof," she said.

From BBC • Feb. 1, 2026

Gagne knew early that she was different, fighting an apathy that could spark an anxiousness that provoked destructive outbursts.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2024

After standing and looking at an urban lake for just two or three minutes, youth scores on a validated anxiousness scale decreased by nine per cent.

From Science Daily • Feb. 27, 2024

I started to feel that fluttery anxiousness, so I stopped thinking and tried to pay attention to the parents’ conversation.

From "The Science of Breakable Things" by Tae Keller