anxious

adjective

ˈaŋ(k)-shəs How to pronounce anxious (audio)
Definition of anxiousnext
1
as in worried
feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty was anxious about the play tryouts scheduled for the following day

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in uneasy
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings the whole crowd seemed to make an anxious gasp as the home team almost fumbled the ball

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in excited
showing urgent desire or interest I'm anxious for my birthday party

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word anxious distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of anxious are athirst, avid, eager, and keen. While all these words mean "moved by a strong and urgent desire or interest," anxious emphasizes fear of frustration or failure or disappointment.

anxious not to make a social blunder

When would athirst be a good substitute for anxious?

Although the words athirst and anxious have much in common, athirst stresses yearning but not necessarily readiness for action.

athirst for adventure

How do avid and eager relate to one another, in the sense of anxious?

Avid adds to eager the implication of insatiability or greed.

avid for new thrills

When is eager a more appropriate choice than anxious?

The synonyms eager and anxious are sometimes interchangeable, but eager implies ardor and enthusiasm and sometimes impatience at delay or restraint.

eager to get started

Where would keen be a reasonable alternative to anxious?

While the synonyms keen and anxious are close in meaning, keen suggests intensity of interest and quick responsiveness in action.

keen on the latest fashions

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of anxious If a particular type of content leaves someone feeling anxious or upset, that’s a helpful signal to consume less of it and even block those who create that kind of online work. —Kara Alaimo, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2025 Practicing mindfulness meditation can also help a leader stay present, adjust more readily to change and avoid getting caught up in anxious thoughts about the future. —Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025 Rob, anxious for a comeback, sees the project as the way to get his career back on track. —Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 28 Mar. 2025 As the end of the sale nears, the company running things becomes more and more anxious to sell as much of the merchandise as possible. —Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 22 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for anxious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anxious
  1. worried
  2. uneasy
  3. excited
  4. nervous
  5. disturbing
  6. eager
  7. upset
  8. tense
Adjective
  • Colleges are also worried about the impact of immigration policies under President Donald Trump on the recruitment of international students.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 7 Apr. 2025
  • What's more, despite the fact that the majority of parents limit their teen's digital usage, most remain worried that they will be exposed to harms online.
    — John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of worried
Adjective
  • Shortly after midnight on Tuesday, some attendees at the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, started to feel uneasy.
    — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2025
  • But Sherrill remains uneasy about what could happen next.
    — Susan Tompor, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of uneasy
Adjective
  • Julianne being available and excited, wanting to come and play in the sandbox; James, similarly.
    — EW Staff, EW.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • So, when the opportunity to visit Tanzania arose, I was intrigued and excited to embark on this journey.
    — Ronny Maye, Essence, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of excited
Adjective
  • This causes folks to be nervous, which triggers a lack in consumer confidence.
    — Gary Franks, Hartford Courant, 21 Mar. 2025
  • The unemployment rate is pretty low at the moment, but under the hood Americans sure are nervous about the job market.
    — Emily Peck, Axios, 21 Mar. 2025
Definition of nervous
Adjective
  • Other times, Claude’s mental activity seems super disturbing and maybe even dangerous.
    — Steven Levy, Wired News, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Just as disturbing and bizarre, at least one juror originally didn’t want to convict Zeigler at all and didn’t vote to do so until after that same judge ordered the bailiff to give her a Valium.
    — Scott Maxwell, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2025
Definition of disturbing
Adjective
  • In addition, stubbornly high interest rates are prompting institutional investors to offload their holdings in these prime spaces, while luxury companies are eager to take advantage of once-in-a-generation opportunities, and lock in properties for the long term.
    — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 10 Apr. 2025
  • And Trump has been eager to expand the tech industry’s US footprint and cement America as a leader in artificial intelligence.
    — Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of eager
Adjective
  • The Pacers pulled off an upset series win against a then No. 3 seed Bucks in six games last year without Giannis Antetokounmpo.
    — Homero De la Fuente, CNN Money, 13 Apr. 2025
  • But any lower than that seems like a waste, as, unfortunately, oddsmakers have already priced in some of the potential upset picks.
    — Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
Definition of upset
Adjective
  • Once tense and apprehensive, Mateo is later shown basking in the sun and running along the sand with other dogs in the care of his rescuer.
    — Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Erceg, 29, is known for putting out fires — tense situations in which the opposing team is threatening to score.
    — Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 17 Apr. 2025
Definition of tense

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Cite this Entry

“Anxious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anxious. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.

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