What does anxiety mean?
Anxiety is a noun denoting a state of worry, nervousness, or unease, usually directed toward an anticipated event or an outcome that remains uncertain. It ranges from the fleeting apprehension anyone feels before an exam or interview to the persistent, overwhelming distress classified by clinicians as an anxiety disorder. The word carries a largely negative connotation but is neutral in register, appearing comfortably in everyday conversation, journalism, literature, and scientific writing alike. Common collocations include 'anxiety disorder,' 'social anxiety,' and 'separation anxiety.' Its derivatives — anxious, anxiously, anxiousness — are among the most frequently used words in English for expressing concern. Etymologically striking, anxiety descends from a Latin root meaning to choke or strangle, a lineage it shares with anguish and even anger, capturing the physical tightness long associated with the emotion. Because it names one of the most universal human experiences, anxiety remains an essential word for describing both mind and body under pressure.
nounA feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. In clinical contexts, it refers to a mental health disorder characterized by excessive, persistent worry and fear.
- A feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome.
- A clinical mental health condition marked by excessive, persistent fear or worry (as in anxiety disorder).
"She felt a surge of anxiety as she waited for the exam results."
"He managed his anxiety before the job interview with slow, deep breathing."
"Generalized anxiety affects millions of people worldwide and is highly treatable."
The plural is relatively uncommon and typically refers to multiple distinct worries or separate manifestations of anxious feeling rather than simply intensifying the emotion.
"As retirement approached, his anxieties about money and health multiplied."
The word 'anxiety' and the word 'anger' are distant cousins — both trace back to the same ancient root meaning 'to choke or strangle,' which is why we still say anxiety has us in its grip.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of anxiety
Anxiety entered English in the early 16th century from Latin 'anxietas,' derived from 'angere,' meaning to choke, squeeze, or torment. The same Latin root gave rise to 'anxious' and, through Germanic transmission, to words such as 'anguish' and 'anger,' all preserving the original sense of bodily constriction. Cognates appear across European languages, including German 'Angst' and French 'angoisse,' reflecting the shared classical inheritance.
Related word forms
How anxiety is actually used
Anxiety is standard in both formal and informal registers. In everyday use it often means ordinary worry, but in medical and psychological contexts it carries a precise clinical meaning; writers should be aware that describing normal nervousness as 'anxiety' can blur this distinction. The plural 'anxieties' is used for multiple distinct worries or instances of the condition.
Easily confused with anxiety
Angst denotes a deeper, often philosophical or existential dread, whereas anxiety is the more general term for worry or unease about specific or uncertain outcomes.