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anxious
/ˈæŋkʃəs/
feeling nervous or worried
She felt anxious before her job interview.
She was nervous and worried about her upcoming job interview.
formalinformal
Feeling nervous, worried, or uneasy about something that might happen.
He was anxious about the test results.
He was worried and nervous about the outcome of his test.
The anxious parents waited for their child to return home.
The nervous parents were worried while waiting for their child to come back.
Often used to describe a state of tension or apprehension about future events.
Collocations
anxious toeager or impatient to do somethinganxious aboutworried or concerned about something
Antonyms
Pro Tip
Common Usage
'Anxious' is often used to describe a state of worry or nervousness about something that might happen in the future.
Gold Rule
Avoid Overuse
While 'anxious' is a useful word, avoid using it too frequently in formal writing. Use synonyms like 'worried' or 'concerned' for variety.
Word Origin
From Middle English *anxious*, from Latin *anxios*, meaning 'troubled, anxious', from *angere* (to choke, distress).
Usage Notes
Can be used to describe both people and situations. Often followed by 'about' or 'to' to specify the cause of the anxiety.
Word Breakdown
anx
troubled, distressed
root-ious
having the quality of
suffixEnglish Dictionary