anxious
[adjective]
Synonyms:
- uneasy, apprehensive, concerned, fearful, in suspense, nervous, on tenterhooks, tense, troubled, worried
- eager, desirous, impatient, intent, itching, keen, yearning

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Antonyms: loath
Contrasted words: calm, collected, cool, easy, imperturbable, unruffled, assured, confident, sanguine, sure, averse, disinclined, hesitant, indisposed, reluctant
Related Idioms: ill at ease, all agog, bursting to
Related Words: agitated, apprehensive, jittery, perturbed, upset, worried, alarmed, bothered, disquieted, troubled, uneasy, importunate, pressing, urgent

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English Thesaurus: worried, anxious, nervous, uneasy, concerned, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

anx‧ious S3 W3 /ˈæŋkʃəs/ adjective
[Date: 1600-1700; Language: Latin; Origin: anxius]

1. worried about something
anxious about
He was a bit anxious about the safety of the machinery.
anxious for
We were anxious for you.
She gave me an anxious look.
anxious (that)
She was anxious that it might be cancer.

2. an anxious time or situation is one in which you feel nervous or worried Synonym : worrying:
We had an anxious couple of weeks waiting for the test results.
There was an anxious moment when the plane suddenly dropped.

3. feeling strongly that you want to do something or want something to happen Synonym : keen
anxious to do something
The company is anxious to improve its image.
He seemed most anxious to speak to me alone.
The president is anxious not to have another crisis.
anxious for somebody to do something
Why was she so anxious for me to stay?
anxious for
We were all anxious for news.
anxious (that)
Both sides were anxious that the agreement should be signed as quickly as possible.
—anxiously adverb:
She waited anxiously by the phone.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

anxious
adj.
VERBS appear, be, feel, look, seem, sound | become, get, grow The bus was late and Sue began to get anxious.
make sb The delays only made him more anxious.
ADV. desperately, extremely, very | increasingly She was watching the clock and becoming increasingly anxious.
a bit, a little, quite, rather, slightly, somewhat | genuinely | naturally, understandably Final-year students are naturally anxious about getting work after graduation.
unduly There's no need to get unduly anxious on my account.
suddenly
PREP. about I'm becoming very anxious about my son.
for We are extremely anxious for her safety.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

anxious
adjective
1.
BAD: I always feel anxious when I have to make a speech.
GOOD: I always feel nervous when I have to make a speech.

Usage Note:
anxious = worried because you fear that something bad may happen or may have happened: 'Their daughter hadn't come home from school and they were anxious about her safety.' 'I knew it was just a minor operation, but I couldn't help feeling anxious.'
nervous = worried because you are in or about to enter a stressful situation: 'I was so nervous about the exam that I couldn't sleep.' 'It was our first television appearance and we were all feeling nervous.'

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2.
BAD: She is anxious that the hotel rates will be too expensive.
GOOD: She is worried that the hotel rates will be too expensive.
BAD: I was anxious that somebody would see us through the window.
GOOD: I was worried that somebody would see us through the window.

Usage Note:
worried = unhappy because you have (or expect that you are going to have) a problem: 'The business is losing money and the boss is very worried.'

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3.
BAD: He obviously isn't anxious about public opinion.
GOOD: He obviously isn't worried about public opinion.

Usage Note:
not worried/concerned/bothered about sth = feeling that something is not a problem: 'I'm not bothered about how much it will cost.'
Note the alternative: 'He obviously doesn't care about public opinion.'

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4.
BAD: I'm anxious to hear about your new boyfriend.
GOOD: I can't wait to hear about your new boyfriend.
BAD: I am anxious to see how British people celebrate Christmas.
GOOD: I'm longing to see how British people celebrate Christmas.

Usage Note:
If you are anxious to do something, you want to do it in order to improve a (difficult or unpleasant) situation: 'We are anxious that people are informed of the truth of the matter.' 'The police are anxious to speak to anyone who witnessed the accident.'
If you simply have a strong desire to do something, you are keen/eager/longing/dying to do it, or you cannot wait to do it: 'I can't wait to get out of these wet clothes.'

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5.
BAD: Most unemployed people are anxious for finding work.
GOOD: Most unemployed people are anxious to find work.

Usage Note:
anxious to do sth (NOT for doing ): 'He was anxious to gain approval.'

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

worried not feeling happy or relaxed because you keep thinking about a problem or something bad that might happen:
I was worried that you had forgotten our date.
It’s awful if you are worried about money.
I was so worried that I couldn’t sleep at all.
anxious worried because you think something bad might happen or has happened. Anxious is more formal than worried, and is often used about a general feeling of worry, when you are not sure what has happened:
A lot of employees are anxious about their jobs.
Anxious relatives waited for news.
nervous worried or frightened about something you are going to do or experience, and unable to relax:
Everyone feels nervous before an exam.
The thought of going into hospital was making me nervous.
uneasy a little worried because you feel there may be something wrong and you are not sure what is going to happen:
When she still wasn’t home by midnight, I began to feel uneasy.
The total silence was making me feel uneasy.
concerned formal worried, usually about a problem affecting someone else or affecting the country or the world:
Many people are concerned about the current economic situation.
Police say that they are concerned for the safety of the missing girl.
bothered [not before noun] worried by something that happens – often used in negative sentences:
She didn’t seem particularly bothered by the news.
troubled very worried, so that you think about something a lot:
She fell into a troubled sleep.
a troubled expression
‘Are you okay, Ben? You look troubled.’
apprehensive especially written a little worried about something you are going to do, or about the future, because you are not sure what it will be like:
I felt a bit apprehensive about seeing him again after so long.
stressed (out) informal very worried and tired because of problems, too much work etc, and unable to relax or enjoy life:
He’d been working ten hours a day for ages and was stressed out.
an extremely stressed single mother

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲