noun
angst
ANGST
noun
1
A deep, often vague feeling of anxiety or dread, sometimes tied to broader worries about life or meaning.
"The novel captures the teenage angst of growing up in a small town."
"He felt a wave of existential angst after losing his job."
How to Use Angst
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA gnawing sense of anxiety or unease, often about big-picture worries rather than one specific fear.
Common pairings
teenage angst
existential angst
full of angst
Word Forms
angsted past tense, angsts singular
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The novel captures the teenage _____ of growing up in a small town.
Etymology
Borrowed from German Angst ("fear, anxiety"), popularized in English through translations of Kierkegaard's philosophy.