anxiety
gb/æŋzˈaɪəti/ us/æŋzˈaɪəti/
B1
English
~ 2700
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
state
1
Strong worry or nervousness
A feeling of being worried or nervous about something that may happen.
Usage pattern:
[someone] feels anxiety about [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'anxiety' with 'anger', but anxiety is about fear or worry, not irritation.
Synonyms
worry (A more general term for concern; can be milder than anxiety.)
|
nervousness (Often refers to temporary unease; anxiety may be more persistent.)
Antonyms
calmness (A relaxed state without worry or nervousness.)
|
confidence (A feeling of certainty and assurance, opposite to anxious doubt.)
Collocations
feel anxiety
|reduce anxiety
|cause anxiety
|social anxiety
|anxiety level
|anxiety disorder
Themes
emotions
|mental health
|daily life
Examples
- She felt intense anxiety before giving her speech.
- The test results caused him great anxiety.
- Public speaking is a common source of anxiety.
- Her anxiety grew as the deadline approached.
Learner examples
- I have anxiety before big tests.
- He feels anxiety when he meets new people.
- Anxiety can make it hard to sleep.
- She has anxiety about flying.
Noun
technical
B2
entity
2
Anxiety as a medical condition
A medical problem where a person feels too much worry or fear for a long time, making life difficult.
Common mistake:
Some learners use 'anxiety' to mean any stress; in medical contexts, it refers to a diagnosed condition.
Synonyms
panic disorder (A specific type of anxiety disorder involving sudden intense fear.)
Antonyms
mental well-being (A healthy mental state without significant distress.)
Collocations
generalized anxiety disorder
|anxiety attack
|anxiety treatment
|anxiety symptoms
Themes
mental health
|medicine
|health
|emotions
Examples
- She was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder last year.
- Therapy and medication helped reduce his anxiety.
- Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental illnesses.
Learner examples
- He has an anxiety disorder.
- The doctor helps people with anxiety.
- Anxiety can be treated with medicine.
Noun
B2
state
3
Eager but worried feeling
A feeling of wanting something to happen but also being worried it might not.
Synonyms
anticipation (Focuses more on looking forward to something; may lack the fear element.)
Antonyms
indifference (Lack of concern or interest about the outcome.)
Collocations
anxiety to succeed
|anxiety for news
Themes
emotions
Examples
- They waited in anxiety for the judge's decision.
- Her anxiety to please her parents was obvious.
- He opened the letter in great anxiety.
Learner examples
- She waited in anxiety for the call.
- I feel anxiety before the game starts.
- They had anxiety to hear the result.
Grammar
Dictionary form
anxiety
IPA
GB/æŋzˈaɪəti/
US/æŋzˈaɪəti/
Syllables & stress
anxi - ety (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (ety)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: anxiety
- Plural: anxieties, anxiety
Word family
Expressions
anxiety attack
1/æŋzˈaɪəti ətˈæk/
fixed phrase
Sudden episode of fear from anxiety
A short time when someone suddenly feels very afraid and anxious.
Examples
- She had an anxiety attack before boarding the plane.
- Breathing exercises helped him calm down during an anxiety attack.
performance anxiety
1/pɚfˈɔɹməns æŋzˈaɪəti/
fixed phrase
Fear of performing publicly
Feeling very nervous about speaking, acting, or doing something in front of people.
Examples
- He gets performance anxiety before every concert.
- Performance anxiety is common among musicians.
social anxiety
1/sˈoʊʃəl æŋzˈaɪəti/
fixed phrase
Fear of social situations
Feeling very nervous or afraid in social situations because you think people will judge you.
Examples
- His social anxiety makes it hard to attend parties.
- Social anxiety can be treated with therapy.
separation anxiety
1/sˌɛpɚˈeɪʃən æŋzˈaɪəti/
fixed phrase
anxiety when away from loved one
Strong fear or worry when someone, often a child, is away from a parent or another very important person.
Examples
- The child experienced separation anxiety on her first day of school.
- The child showed separation anxiety when his mother left the room.
- Dogs can suffer from separation anxiety when left alone.
- Dogs can have separation anxiety if they are left alone for many hours.
- Starting daycare, she struggled with separation anxiety each morning.