noun
anxiety
ang-ZEYE-ih-tee
noun
1
A persistent feeling of unease, nervousness, or worry, often about something uncertain that hasn't happened yet.
"She felt a wave of anxiety before walking into the interview."
"Money troubles were the main source of his anxiety."
2
(medical) A diagnosable disorder marked by chronic, excessive worry that interferes with daily life.
"His doctor diagnosed him with generalized anxiety and referred him to a therapist."
How to Use Anxiety
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThat uneasy, on-edge feeling of worry about something that might go wrong.
Common mistake
Everyday anxiety (nerves before a test) is different from clinical anxiety disorders — don't use the medical term casually when you just mean "nervous."
Common pairings
social anxiety
anxiety about
a wave of anxiety
anxiety disorder
Word Forms
anxieties plural
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She felt a wave of _____ before walking into the interview.
Etymology
From Latin anxietas, from anxius ("troubled, distressed"), ultimately from a root meaning "to choke" — the same root behind "anguish" and "anger."