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Angst
/aŋst/
fear
Ich habe Angst vor Spinnen.
I am afraid of spiders.
general
A feeling of anxiety, apprehension, or dread, often without a clear cause.
Die Angst vor dem Scheitern hielt sie davon ab, ihr eigenes Unternehmen zu gründen.
The fear of failure prevented her from starting her own business.
Er spürte eine tiefe Angst in sich aufsteigen.
He felt a deep fear rising within him.
Angst is a general term for fear, often used in everyday language. It can also imply existential dread or anxiety, especially in philosophical contexts.
technical
In psychology, a strong, irrational fear of a specific object or situation.
Die Phobie ist eine spezifische Form der Angst, die durch bestimmte Auslöser ausgelöst wird.
A phobia is a specific form of anxiety triggered by certain stimuli.
In psychology, 'Angst' is sometimes used interchangeably with 'Furcht' (fear), but 'Angst' often implies a more existential or diffuse anxiety.
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Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Angst vs. Furcht
'Angst' is a more general term for fear, while 'Furcht' often refers to a specific, rational fear. For example, 'Angst vor dem Tod' (fear of death) is existential, whereas 'Furcht vor Spinnen' (fear of spiders) is specific.
Gold Rule
Capitalization
In German, nouns are always capitalized, including 'Angst'.
Word Origin
From Old High German 'angust' (narrowness, tightness), related to the Proto-Germanic '*angustiz' and Proto-Indo-European '*h₂enǵʰ-' (to constrict, tighten). Cognates include English 'anger' and Latin 'angustiae' (narrowness).
Usage Notes
Angst is a core German term for fear and is widely used in both everyday and literary contexts. It can also carry a philosophical or existential connotation, as in the works of Søren Kierkegaard, who used 'Angst' to describe a profound, often paralyzing anxiety about existence itself.
Word Breakdown
Angst
fear
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