Meaning of the word anxious

What does the word anxious mean?

According to the American Heritage Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language as well as Collins English Dictionary, the word anxious is an adjective that means characterized by uneasiness, nervousness or anguish. This sort of mental distress can also be classified as a mental disorder. Such use of this word can reference anxiety disorders which could include panic disorder, phobias obsessive-compulsive disorder, social anxiety disorder and more as classified by the American Psychiatric Association. These feelings of anxiety or symptoms of anxiety can even feel like a heart attack which is worrying. Physical symptoms and emotions can be anxiety symptoms such as panic attacks. This, like depression which is treated with antidepressants, can be treated with medication. Anxious is two syllables – anx-ious, and the pronunciation of anxious is ˈæŋkʃəs.

According to Web MD, there are various different types of anxiety disorders. First there is generalized anxiety disorder, which is characterized by excessive, unrealistic worry and tension with little or no reason. Next there is panic disorder, which creates attacks in which a person may break out in a sweat, have chest pain, and have a pounding heartbeat. There is social anxiety, in which a person feels overwhelming worry and self-consciousness about everyday social situations. There are specific phobias which create an intense fear of a specific object or situation, such as heights or flying, separation anxiety, agoraphobia, selective mutism, and medication-induced anxiety disorder.

Many different languages also contain words that mean anxious. You may notice that many of these words look and sound alike. These are called cognates, which are words and phrases in different languages that mean the same thing and look similar. These are often formed when words have the same root or language of origin. This list of translations of anxious is provided by Word Sense.

•  Swedish: orolig‎
•  German: ängstlich‎, besorgt‎
•  Maori: māihi‎, mawherangi‎, hārato‎
•  Spanish: ansioso‎, inquieto‎
•  Turkish: endişeli‎, kaygılı‎
•  Norman: soucieux‎
•  Bulgarian: разтревожен‎, обезпокоен‎
•  Esperanto: anksia‎
•  Galician: ansioso‎
•  Danish: urolig‎
•  Asturian: ansiosu‎
•  Khmer: ចំពាក់ចិត្ត‎ (cɑmpeak cət), កំពល់‎ (kɑmpʊəl), កង្វល់‎ (kɑŋvɑl)
•  Scottish Gaelic: cùramach‎, iomagaineach‎
•  Russian: озабо́ченный‎, беспокоиться‎, встрево́женный‎
•  Czech: úzkostný‎ (masc.)
•  Estonian: rahutu‎
•  Portuguese: ansioso‎
•  Japanese: 心配‎
•  Vietnamese: nao‎
•  Italian: ansioso‎
•  Greek: αγχώδης‎ (masc.), αγχωμένος‎
•  Catalan: ansiós‎
•  Old English: ċeariġ‎
•  Mandarin: 焦慮‎, 焦虑‎ (jiāolǜ), 担心‎ (dānxīn)
•  Dutch: bezorgd‎
•  French: anxieux‎
•  Romanian: anxios‎ (masc.) (n), neliniștit‎ (masc.) (n), îngrijorat‎
•  Finnish: jännittynyt‎, hermostunut‎, huolestunut‎, ahdistunut‎
•  Ido: anxioza‎

How can the word anxious be used in a sentence?

The word anxious can be used in many different settings. Using words in a sentence is the best way to remember their definition. Try using this word of the day in a sentence today! Below is an example of anxious. 

It was an anxious labor. There was a large sense of distress among family members when the new grandson was born.

We were very anxious for the safety of our sons when they went to Europe alone. We thought about every possible misfortune that could go their way and had a massive fear of danger. 

What is the etymology of the word anxious?

According to Etymonline, the word anxious has been sued since the 17th century or 18th century and comes from the Latin angere 

What are synonyms and antonyms for the word anxious?

There are many different words that have the same meaning as the word anxious. These are called synonyms. Synonyms are a great way to expand your vocabulary and avoid repeating yourself. This list of synonyms for the word anxious is provided by Power Thesaurus. 

•  stressful
•  agog
•  afraid
•  unstrung
•  unsure
•  keyed up
•  queasy
•  ruffled
•  strung out
•  nervous
•  uneasy
•  in a tizzy
•  skittish
•  upset
•  bothered
•  disturbed
•  careworn
•  eager
•  vexed
•  distracted
•  panicky
•  alarmed
•  on edge
•  nervy
•  scared
•  worked up
•  uptight
•  high-strung
•  uncertain
•  apprehensive
•  disconcerted
•  insecure
•  stressed
•  excited
•  keen
•  dying
•  ardent
•  timorous
•  antsy
•  jittery
•  fidgety
•  overwrought
•  fearful
•  cowardly
•  flustered
•  worried
•  twitchy
•  restive
•  jealous
•  troubled
•  fretful
•  rattled
•  spooked
•  shaky
•  solicitous
•  enthusiastic
•  ill at ease
•  on tenterhooks
•  harassed
•  overanxious
•  unsettled
•  edgy
•  jumpy
•  yearning
•  distraught
•  aghast
•  tense
•  thirsty
•  unnerved
•  worried sick
•  uncomfortable
•  zealous
•  self-conscious
•  breathless
•  restless
•  greedy
•  terrified
•  perturbed
•  strained
•  itching
•  very upset
•  impatient
•  desirous
•  disquieted
•  wired
•  avid
•  timid
•  athirst
•  longing
•  fraught
•  concerned
•  hungry
•  neurotic
•  raring
•  agitated
•  frightened
•  distressed
•  ambitious
•  hesitant
•  unquiet

There are also many different words that have the opposite meaning of the word anxious. These opposite words are called antonyms, which are another great way to expand your vocabulary. This list of antonyms is also provided by Power Thesaurus.

•  imperturbable
•  unafraid
•  unwilling
•  uninvolved with
•  worriless
•  unenthusiastic
•  untroubled
•  brave as a lion
•  undaunted
•  self-assured
•  amicable
•  unconcerned about
•  poised
•  self-controlled
•  dreading
•  dauntless
•  blithe
•  nerveless
•  placid
•  as cool as a cucumber
•  quiet
•  at peace
•  collected
•  careless
•  unexcitable
•  gutsy
•  tranquil
•  dispassionate
•  casual
•  disinclined
•  comfortable
•  phlegmatic
•  unflappable
•  aloof
•  equable
•  cool-headed
•  chilled
•  happy-go-lucky
•  dismissive of
•  lukewarm about
•  courageous
•  uninterested
•  carefree
•  nonchalant about
•  apathetical
•  laid-back
•  as quiet as a mouse
•  lighthearted
•  centered
•  disinterested
•  devil-may-care
•  brave
•  indifferent
•  stress free
•  confident
•  together
•  self-possessed
•  relaxed
•  calm
•  composed
•  assured
•  easygoing
•  reluctant
•  cool
•  unbothered
•  complacent
•  worry-free
•  breezy
•  desperate
•  chivalric
•  uninvolved in
•  controlled
•  lukewarm
•  cool as a cucumber
•  cushty
•  unenthusiastic about
•  unperturbed
•  devil may care
•  coolheaded
•  brash
•  even-tempered
•  peaceful
•  apathetic
•  fearless
•  detached
•  happy
•  at ease
•  undisturbed
•  sedate
•  unworried
•  insouciant
•  affable
•  serene
•  tranqil
•  content
•  unruffled
•  nonchalant
•  unconcerned
•  averse
•  cheerful

Overall, the word anxious means characterized by painful suspense or worry. In psychotherapy this can refer to different types of anxiety disorders.

Sources:

1. Anxious definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary
2. Anxious synonyms – 1 798 Words and Phrases for Anxious | Power Thesaurus  
3. Anxious antonyms – 670 Opposites of Anxious | Power Thesaurus 
4. anxious: meaning, origin, translation | Word Sense 
5. anxious | Origin and meaning of anxious | Online Etymology Dictionary 
6. Anxiety Disorders: Types, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment | Web MD 

тревожный, беспокоящийся, озабоченный, беспокойный, встревоженный, стремящийся

прилагательное ↓

Словосочетания

an anxious mood that was clearly legible upon her face — озабоченность, которая ясно читалась на её лице  
anxious eye — беспокойный взгляд  
anxious / worried look — беспокойный взгляд  
to be anxious about smth. — беспокоиться о чём-л., из-за чего-л.  
to be anxious for success — стремиться к успеху  
anxious behaviour — тревожное поведение  
be on the anxious bench — мучаться неизвестностью; мучиться неизвестностью; сидеть как на иголках  
he is anxious to do his best — он старается сделать все, что может  
feel anxious about — забеспокоиться о; беспокоиться о  
feel anxious about future — беспокоиться о будущем; тревожиться о будущем  
feel anxious about welfare — беспокоиться о благополучии; тревожиться о благополучии  

Примеры с переводом

Примеры, ожидающие перевода

Возможные однокоренные слова

overanxious  — очень старательный, слишком обеспокоенный, панически настроенный
anxiously  — тревожно, с тревогой, с волнением, очень, сильно
unanxious  — тихий, спокойный, безмятежный

English[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

• anctious (obsolete)

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from Latin anxius, from angō (“to cause pain, choke”); akin to Ancient Greek ἄγχω (ánkhō, “to choke”). See anger; angst.

Pronunciation[edit]

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈæŋ(k)ʃəs/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈæŋ(k).ʃəs/, (with pre-/ŋ/ tensing) /ˈeɪŋ(k).ʃəs/
• Hyphenation: anx‧ious

Adjective[edit]

anxious (comparative more anxious or anxiouser, superlative most anxious or anxiousest)

1. Nervous and worried.
2. Having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown.

   She was anxious to hear how her test results were.

   I could tell she was anxious as she was biting her nails.

   • 1913, Mrs. [Marie] Belloc Lowndes, chapter I, in The Lodger, London: Methuen, →OCLC; republished in Novels of Mystery: The Lodger; The Story of Ivy; What Really Happened, New York, N.Y.: Longmans, Green and Co., […], [1933], →OCLC, page 0056:

     Thanks to that penny he had just spent so recklessly [on a newspaper] he would pass a happy hour, taken, for once, out of his anxious, despondent, miserable self. It irritated him shrewdly to know that these moments of respite from carking care would not be shared with his poor wife, with careworn, troubled Ellen.

   • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 19, in The China Governess‎^[1]:

     Meanwhile Nanny Broome was recovering from her initial panic and seemed anxious to make up for any kudos she might have lost, by exerting her personality to the utmost. She took the policeman’s helmet and placed it on a chair, and unfolded his tunic to shake it and fold it up again for him.

   • 2012 May 13, Alistair Magowan, “Sunderland 0-1 Man Utd”, in BBC Sport:

     But, with United fans in celebratory mood as it appeared their team might snatch glory, they faced an anxious wait as City equalised in stoppage time.

3. (of things) Accompanied with, or causing, anxiety; worrying.

   anxious labor

   There was an anxious wait before the results were revealed.

   • 1667, John Milton, “Book VIII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:

     The sweet of life, from which God hath bid dwell far off all anxious cares.

4. Earnestly desirous.

   He is anxious to please, so you can count on him.

   All the voters were anxious to hear the election result.

Usage notes[edit]

• Anxious is followed by for, about, concerning, etc., before the object of solicitude.
• Some argue that this word should only be used in the sense of «worried» or «worrisome».

Synonyms[edit]

• (nervous and worried): uneasy, worrisome, unquiet, concerned
• (extremely concerned (about the future)): angstful, disturbed, restless, solicitous, worrisome
• (causing anxiety): restless, uneasy, worrisome, unquiet, nerve-wracking
• (earnestly desirous): restless, solicitous

Derived terms[edit]

• anxiously
• anxiousness

[edit]

Translations[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• Anxiety on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• anxious in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• “anxious”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

Anagrams[edit]

• Siouxan

Полезное

Last Updated:
12 Apr 2023
— Updated example sentences

Britannica Dictionary definition of ANXIOUS

[more anxious; most anxious]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Adj.	1.	anxious — eagerly desirous; «anxious to see the new show at the museum»; «dying to hear who won» colloquialism — a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech eager — having or showing keen interest or intense desire or impatient expectancy; «eager to learn»; «eager to travel abroad»; «eager for success»; «eager helpers»; «an eager look»
	2.	anxious — causing or fraught with or showing anxiety; «spent an anxious night waiting for the test results»; «cast anxious glances behind her»; «those nervous moments before takeoff»; «an unquiet mind» troubled — characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need; «troubled areas»; «fell into a troubled sleep»; «a troubled expression»; «troubled teenagers»

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

anxious

adjective

1. eager, keen, intent, yearning, impatient, itching, ardent, avid, expectant, desirous He is anxious that there should be no delay.
eager reluctant, hesitant, loath, nonchalant, disinclined

2. uneasy, concerned, worried, troubled, upset, careful, wired (slang), nervous, disturbed, distressed, uncomfortable, tense, fearful, unsettled, restless, neurotic, agitated, taut, disquieted, apprehensive, edgy, watchful, jittery (informal), perturbed, on edge, ill at ease, twitchy (informal), solicitous, overwrought, fretful, on tenterhooks, in suspense, hot and bothered, unquiet (chiefly literary), like a fish out of water, antsy (informal), angsty, on pins and needles, discomposed He admitted he was still anxious about the situation.
uneasy certain, cool, collected, confident, calm, assured, composed, unfazed (informal), unperturbed, nonchalant

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

anxious

adjective

In a state of anxiety or uneasiness:

The American Heritage® Roget’s Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Translations