anxiety
anxiety — noun
1. an unpleasant feeling of being nervous and unable to relax, because you are worr
an unpleasant feeling of being nervous and unable to relax, because you are worried about a present problem or a possible future one.
Mira felt deep anxiety the night before her driving test.
anxiety + before + [event]
Her parents' constant arguing filled the house with anxiety.
Hadiya has shown growing anxiety about losing his job at the factory.
The long wait for results caused real anxiety among the students.
At the tenants' meeting, Mrs. Okafor voiced widespread anxiety over rising rents.
- worry
more everyday and less intense than 'anxiety'
- nervousness
shorter-lived and tied to a specific event
- unease
milder; suggests vague discomfort rather than active worry
- calm
complete absence of worry or tension
- reassurance
the feeling that replaces anxiety after comfort is given
文法句型
anxiety about + noun
anxiety over + noun
用法筆記
Subject is usually a person or group; the source of worry is introduced with 'about' or 'over'. Distinguish from sense 3 (the medical condition): sense 1 is a normal short-term feeling, not a diagnosed illness.
常見錯誤
2. a particular thing, problem, or thought that makes a person worried, often liste
a particular thing, problem, or thought that makes a person worried, often listed as one of several such concerns.
Money was the family's biggest anxiety after Dad lost his job.
[possessive] + biggest + anxiety
Mateo shared his anxieties about moving abroad with her sister.
plural anxieties + about
The mayor listed three main anxieties of local shop owners.
One of Mei's main anxieties is finding a reliable babysitter for her twins.
Lior wrote down his anxieties before bed to help him sleep.
文法句型
[possessive] + anxieties
anxieties about + noun
用法筆記
Countable, often plural. Refers to specific topics that cause worry, not the feeling itself. If you can replace it with 'a worry' or 'worries' and the sentence still makes sense, this is the right sense.
常見錯誤
3. a mental health problem in which a person feels frightened or worried much of th
a mental health problem in which a person feels frightened or worried much of the time, often with body symptoms such as a fast heartbeat, sweating, or trouble sleeping.
Dr. Leila has treated patients with anxiety for over twenty years.
treat + anxiety (medical)
After the accident, Hannah developed severe anxiety and could not drive.
develop + severe + anxiety
Sixteen-year-old Aiko says she has suffered from anxiety since starting high school.
Therapy and medication helped Jonas manage his anxiety.
The Greenfield Clinic offers Saturday yoga classes for adults living with anxiety.
- anxiety disorder
the clinical term used by doctors
- panic disorder
a specific type of anxiety with sudden intense attacks
文法句型
suffer from anxiety
treat anxiety
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this is a clinical condition diagnosed by a doctor, not a passing feeling. Often appears with verbs like 'suffer from', 'treat', 'manage', and is the sense used in compounds like 'anxiety disorder' and 'anxiety attack'.
常見錯誤
4. a strong, tense wish to do something or get a particular result, that makes you
a strong, tense wish to do something or get a particular result, that makes you hurry or try too hard.
In her anxiety to please her boss, Priya rewrote the report four times.
in + [poss] + anxiety + to-infinitive
The young coach showed real anxiety to prove himself before the season.
anxiety + to-infinitive
Daniel's anxiety to finish the puzzle kept him up until 2 a.m.
In his anxiety to impress Captain Reyes, Tomas dropped his rifle on the parade ground.
- reluctance
the opposite — wanting NOT to do something
文法句型
anxiety to + verb
in one's anxiety to + verb
用法筆記
Only sense that takes a to-infinitive. The eagerness here is mixed with worry — the person wants something so much that they feel tense. Often appears in the formal pattern 'in one's anxiety to do something'.