Meaning & use
anxiety
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Meanings
noununcountable
A feeling of worry or nervousness about something that might happen.
Grammar: Used without 'a' or a plural when talking about the feeling in general: 'She felt anxiety.' For a specific instance, use 'an anxiety' or 'anxieties'.
Patterns
- anxiety about something
- anxiety over something
- feel anxiety
- cause anxiety
Many students feel anxiety before exams.
His anxiety about the job interview kept him awake all night.
There is growing anxiety over the rising cost of living.
noununcountablemedical
A strong, lasting worry that interferes with daily life and may be a medical condition.
Grammar: Often used with 'suffer from' or 'have' when talking about the condition.
Patterns
- suffer from anxiety
- have anxiety
- anxiety disorder
She has been diagnosed with anxiety and is seeing a therapist.
Anxiety can make it hard to concentrate or sleep.
He takes medication to manage his anxiety.
noununcountableformal
A strong wish or eagerness to do something.
Grammar: Often followed by 'to' + infinitive: 'anxiety to please'.
Patterns
- anxiety to do something
Her anxiety to succeed made her work very long hours.
He showed great anxiety to help his friend.
Word forms
| plural | anxieties |
|---|
Common combinations
- anxiety attack
- She had an anxiety attack before the presentation.
- anxiety disorder
- Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health conditions.
- cause anxiety
- The uncertainty caused a lot of anxiety among the staff.
- relieve anxiety
- Deep breathing can help relieve anxiety.
- anxiety about
- There is widespread anxiety about the new policy.
Synonyms and how they differ
- worry
- Worry is a more everyday word for the same feeling; anxiety is often stronger and can also refer to a medical condition.
- nervousness
- Nervousness is a temporary feeling before a specific event, while anxiety can be longer-lasting and more intense.
- unease
- Unease is a milder, vaguer feeling that something is wrong; anxiety is more focused and can be more severe.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: anxiety or anxious? anxiety or eagerness?
anxiety vs anxious
Anxious is the adjective; anxiety is the noun. Say 'I feel anxious', not 'I feel anxiety' when describing your own feeling in everyday speech.
anxiety vs eagerness
Eagerness is a positive wish to do something; anxiety is usually negative and about worry.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'anxiety' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Anxiety' can be countable when talking about specific worries, so 'many anxieties' is correct. 'Many anxiety' is wrong because 'many' needs a plural. 'Much anxieties' is wrong because 'much' needs an uncountable noun. 'An anxiety' is possible but less natural in this context; 'many anxieties' is the standard plural form.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “anxiety”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.