Emotions / B1

ang-ZEYE-uh-tee/æŋˈzaɪəti/

Anxiety is worry or fear about what may happen, often lasting rather than a single moment. Worry is the everyday word; fear is stronger and more specific. Anxious is the adjective: anxious about an exam. Test anxiety and anxiety about the future appear in health and education texts. Do not confuse it with excitement, which can feel similar in the body but is positive.

Meaning

A feeling of worry or fear about what may happen.

Examples

• “She felt a lot of anxiety before the interview.”
• “He suffers from anxiety before public talks.”
• “There is growing anxiety about job security.”

Good to know

anxiety about + noun. Adjective: anxious. Everyday: worry. Medical / exam texts: test anxiety.

Near in meaning

worry

Topics

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