ecoanxiety

American  

[ek-oh-ang-zahy-i-tee, ee-koh‐] / ˌɛk oʊ æŋˈzaɪ ɪ ti, ˌi koʊ‐ /

noun

Psychiatry.

1. anxiety caused by a dread of environmental perils, especially climate change, and a feeling of helplessness over the potential consequences for those living now and even more so for those of later generations.

   Reports from last week’s global summit have only worsened his ecoanxiety, which has already taken a toll on his physical and mental well-being.

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Etymology

Origin of ecoanxiety

First recorded in 2005–10; eco- ( def. ) + anxiety ( def. )

Explanation

Ecoanxiety is a constant feeling of dread about climate change. People who feel hopeless about preventing environmental disasters commonly suffer from ecoanxiety. Most mental health experts consider ecoanxiety to be a more extreme form of a common, rational concern about our warming planet. In fact, a majority of people are worried about climate change and its environmental effects. When this normal worry becomes so overwhelming that it affects a person's sleep, relationships, or ability to work, it can be diagnosed as ecoanxiety. It's a 21st-century word, used since at least 2007 and coined from ecology and anxiety.

Example Sentences

"It can fuel anxiety in parents who are watching the app and maybe misconstruing something that has happened in a room," one nursery owner said.

From BBC • May 6, 2026

Worries about a civil judgment in Alberta fuel anxiety.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026

While it can make people feel more in control or prepared for the future, having more information about a current event, it can also fuel anxiety, depression and interfere with sleep.

From Salon • Sep. 25, 2025

Part of this may have to do with the “headlines suggesting a coming crime wave” that the Brennan Center notes, as heated media coverage could fuel anxiety.

From Washington Post • Apr. 21, 2016

These psychotherapies tend to include relaxation skills; incrementally increased exposure to stress triggers; and challenging some inaccurate assumptions that fuel anxiety.

From New York Times • Aug. 3, 2011