Dictionary

anxious en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈæŋkʃəs/ New York City, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Baltimore
• [ˈæŋkʃəs] ~ [ˈæə̯ŋ-] ~ [ˈɛə̯ŋ-] (Southern-US)
• [ˈeɪŋkʃəs] ~ [ˈɛːŋ-] ~ [ˈæŋ-] Western US, Midland US, Western Pennsylvania, New England
• /ˈæŋkʃəs/ (Inland-Northern-American)
• /ˈeɪŋkʃəs/ North-Central US
• /ˈæŋkʃəs/ (Southern-US)
• /ˈæŋkʃəs/ (US)
• /ˈæŋ-/ Western US, Midland US, Western Pennsylvania, New England
• [ˈɛə̯ŋkʃəs] (Inland-Northern-American)
• /ˈeɪŋkʃəs/ Western US, Midland US, Western Pennsylvania, New England
• /ˈæŋkʃəs/ (Australia, Received-Pronunciation)
• (California) audio
• [ˈeɪ̯ŋkʃəs] ~ [ˈeːŋ-] North-Central US
• /ˈɛŋkʃəs/ (New-Zealand)
• [ˈæŋkʃəs] New York City, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Baltimore
• /ˈaŋkʃəs/ (British, Northern-England, Scotland, Southern, Standard, Wales)
• /ˈeɪŋkʃəs/ (US)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂enǵʰ-der. Proto-Italic *anɣō Latin angō Latin ānxiusbor. English anxious Borrowed from Latin anxius, from angō (“to cause pain, choke”); akin to Ancient Greek ἄγχω (ánkhō, “to choke”). See anger; angst.

Meanings

1. Nervous and worried.
2. Having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown.
   • Meanwhile Nanny Broome was recovering from her initial panic and seemed anxious to make up for any kudos she might have lost, by exerting her personality to the utmost. She took the policeman's helmet and placed it on a chair, and unfolded his tunic to shake it and fold it up again for him. 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 19, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
   • She was anxious to hear how her test results were.
   • But, with United fans in celebratory mood as it appeared their team might snatch glory, they faced an anxious wait as City equalised in stoppage time. 2012 May 13, Alistair Magowan, “Sunderland 0-1 Man Utd”, in BBC Sport:
   • Thanks to that penny he had just spent so recklessly [on a newspaper] he would pass a happy hour, taken, for once, out of his anxious, despondent, miserable self. It irritated him shrewdly to know that these moments of respite from carking care would not be shared with his poor wife, with careworn, troubled Ellen. 1913, Mrs. [Marie] Belloc Lowndes, chapter I, in The Lodger, London: Methuen, →OCLC; republished in Novels of Mystery: The Lodger; The Story of Ivy; What Really Happened, New York, N.Y.: Longmans, Green and Co., […], [1933], →OCLC, page 0056:
   • I could tell she was anxious as she was biting her nails.
3. (of things) Accompanied with, or causing, anxiety; worrying.
   • anxious labor
   • The sweet of life, from which God hath bid dwell far off all anxious cares. 1667, John Milton, “Book VIII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
   • There was an anxious wait before the results were revealed.
4. Earnestly desirous.
   • He sneers alike at those who are anxious to preserve and at those who are eager for reform. 1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter II, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC:
   • All the voters were anxious to hear the election result.
   • He is anxious to please, so you can count on him.

Forms

Deriveds

anxious bench · hyperanxious · anxom · underanxious · hypoanxious · anxiously · unanxious · nonanxious · overanxious · anxiousness

Synonyms

unquiet (causing anxiety) · restless (causing anxiety) · fraught (nervous and worried) · uneasy (causing anxiety) · disturbed (extremely concerned (about the future)) · worrisome (nervous and worried) · restless (earnestly desirous) · worrisome (extremely concerned (about the future)) · nerve-wracking (causing anxiety) · worrisome (causing anxiety) · angstful (extremely concerned (about the future)) · unquiet (nervous and worried) · restless (extremely concerned (about the future)) · solicitous (earnestly desirous) · uneasy (nervous and worried) · concerned (nervous and worried) · solicitous (extremely concerned (about the future))

Translations (154)

pt ansioso (of things: accompanied with, or causing, anxiety; worrying) · hu izgul (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · ro nerăbdător (earnestly desirous) · pdt besorcht (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · la praementuens (nervous and worried) · de bange (nervous and worried) · de nervös (nervous and worried) · fi ahdistunut (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · de erregt (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · fi huolestunut (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · ar قَلِق (of things: accompanied with, or causing, anxiety; worrying) · enm angwischous (earnestly desirous) · az narahat (nervous and worried) · it inquieto (nervous and worried) · fi hermostunut (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · eo anksia (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · mi māihi (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · cmn 緊張 /紧张 (nervous and worried) · hu ideges (nervous and worried) · de angstvoll (nervous and worried) · cy pryderus (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · fi hermostuttava (of things: accompanied with, or causing, anxiety; worrying) · de begierig (earnestly desirous) · fr désireux (earnestly desirous) · la sollicitus (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · hu nagyon akar/igyekszik/kíván (earnestly desirous) · vi nao (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · et murelik (of things: accompanied with, or causing, anxiety; worrying) · pt desconfortável (nervous and worried) · ru озабо́ченный (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · ar قَلِقَة (of things: accompanied with, or causing, anxiety; worrying) · cmn 焦慮 /焦虑 (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · gd iomagaineach (of things: accompanied with, or causing, anxiety; worrying) · az təşvişli (nervous and worried) · pt ansioso (earnestly desirous) · ro îngrijorat (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · km កង្វល់ (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · kw prederus (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · la praementuens (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · da spændt (på) (earnestly desirous) · th ไม่สบายใจ (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · fr anxieux (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · el αγχώδης (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · hu aggódó (nervous and worried) · az iztirablı (nervous and worried) · de verängstigt (nervous and worried) · fi jännittynyt (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · de bemüht (earnestly desirous) · az həyəcanlı (nervous and worried) · id cemas (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · de verunsichert (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · nl bezorgd (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · km ចំពាក់ចិត្ត (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · ru беспоко́ящийся (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · ro neliniștit (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · az təlaşlı (nervous and worried) · de bedacht auf (earnestly desirous) · la anxius (nervous and worried) · eo anksia (nervous and worried) · la anxius (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · it impaziente (earnestly desirous) · mi hārato (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · az qayğılı (nervous and worried) · ca insegur (nervous and worried) · ja 心配した (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · de gespannt (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · ca ansiós (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · es deseoso (earnestly desirous) · el ανυπόμονος (earnestly desirous) · io anxioza (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · tr endişeli (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · hu nyugtalanító (of things: accompanied with, or causing, anxiety; worrying) · gd iomagaineach (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · el αγχωμένος (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · hu gondterhelt (nervous and worried) · hy տագնապալից (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · ro îngrijorat (of things: accompanied with, or causing, anxiety; worrying) · km កំពល់ (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · es ansioso (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · nrf soucieux (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · tr huzursuz (of things: accompanied with, or causing, anxiety; worrying) · ast ansiosu (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · hu izgalmas (of things: accompanied with, or causing, anxiety; worrying) · fi huolestunut (nervous and worried) · et kibelev (earnestly desirous) · fi halukas (earnestly desirous) · bg горящ от желание (earnestly desirous) · enm angwischous (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · de angespannt (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · fi hermostunut (nervous and worried) · de ängstlich (nervous and worried) · fr préoccupant (of things: accompanied with, or causing, anxiety; worrying) · tr istekli (earnestly desirous) · pt ansioso (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · hu aggódik (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · ang ċeariġ (of things: accompanied with, or causing, anxiety; worrying) · ar قَلِق (nervous and worried) · ro doritor (earnestly desirous) · es ansioso (earnestly desirous) · ang angsum (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · win hahuhu (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · de beklommen (nervous and worried) · ar قَلِق (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · de bang (nervous and worried) · hu alig vár (earnestly desirous) · it ansioso (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · sv orolig (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · ru встрево́женный (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · hi चिंतित (nervous and worried) · yue 緊張 /紧张 (nervous and worried) · sv oroväckande (of things: accompanied with, or causing, anxiety; worrying) · hi चिंतित (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · it bramoso (earnestly desirous) · de besorgt (nervous and worried) · hu aggodalmas (nervous and worried) · cmn 担心 (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · it preoccupante (of things: accompanied with, or causing, anxiety; worrying) · es inquieto (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · mi mānakanaka (nervous and worried) · hu nyugtalan (nervous and worried) · da urovækkende (of things: accompanied with, or causing, anxiety; worrying) · el αγχώδης (of things: accompanied with, or causing, anxiety; worrying) · gl ansioso (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · bg разтревожен (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · da opsat (på) (earnestly desirous) · mi mawherangi (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · it ansioso (earnestly desirous) · da urolig (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · pt receoso (of things: accompanied with, or causing, anxiety; worrying) · fi innokas (earnestly desirous) · ca ansiós (earnestly desirous) · ru стремя́щийся (earnestly desirous) · th ใจไม่ดี (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · et rahutu (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · ar قَلِقَة (nervous and worried) · hu aggasztó (of things: accompanied with, or causing, anxiety; worrying) · de erpicht (earnestly desirous) · ro neliniștit (of things: accompanied with, or causing, anxiety; worrying) · da ivrig (efter) (earnestly desirous) · hu szorong (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · de besorgt (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · tr kaygılı (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · he חָרֵד (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · bg загрижен (of things: accompanied with, or causing, anxiety; worrying) · fi huolestuttava (of things: accompanied with, or causing, anxiety; worrying) · fr inquiet (nervous and worried) · de nervös (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · cs úzkostný (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · ar قَلِقَة (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · bg обезпокоен (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · mi manaka (nervous and worried) · es incómodo (nervous and worried) · gd cùramach (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown) · ro anxios (having a feeling of anxiety or disquietude; extremely concerned, especially about something that will happen in the future or that is unknown)