1
as in worried
feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty
was anxious about the play tryouts scheduled for the following day
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in uneasy
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings
the whole crowd seemed to make an anxious gasp as the home team almost fumbled the ball
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3
as in excited
showing urgent desire or interest
I'm anxious for my birthday party
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of anxious
Meanwhile, champion Swiatek may have played two flawless sets of tennis, but the player was still anxious not to slip up in front of her royal company while Middleton handed her the trophy on Centre Court.
—
Isaac Bickerstaff, Glamour, 21 July 2025
People who exercise regularly often have lower resting heart rates.
Emotions: Feeling anxious, stressed, angry, happy, or sad can increase your heart rate.
—Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 18 July 2025
For investors, there’s no point getting anxious — not yet, at least.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 15 July 2025
My expectation is that the veteran who has been in the Octagon against some of the heaviest hitters in the UFC’s heavyweight division is going to be anxious to test the young man who only has 35 seconds of UFC fight time to his name.
—Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for anxious
Isaac Bickerstaff, Glamour, 21 July 2025
People who exercise regularly often have lower resting heart rates.
Emotions: Feeling anxious, stressed, angry, happy, or sad can increase your heart rate.
—Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 18 July 2025
For investors, there’s no point getting anxious — not yet, at least.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 15 July 2025
My expectation is that the veteran who has been in the Octagon against some of the heaviest hitters in the UFC’s heavyweight division is going to be anxious to test the young man who only has 35 seconds of UFC fight time to his name.
—Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for anxious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anxious
Adjective
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Many tourism leaders in gateway towns near them are worried tourists will start going elsewhere if the park experience or its environment gets eroded.—
Kirk Siegler,
NPR,
24 July 2025
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As an interior and environment appropriations bill makes its way through Congress, activists are worried about its impacts, including on coal ash regulations.—
Maya Wilkins,
Chicago Tribune,
23 July 2025
Adjective
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She Rides Shotgun begins with one uneasy situation and ends on quite another, and the two hours in between are anything but comfortable.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
31 July 2025
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Step 3: Open the door and actually listen Senior leaders should become more visible, Burke says, especially to help coach managers who feel uneasy addressing tough topics.—
Alyshia Hull,
USA Today,
29 July 2025
Adjective
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Our family couldn’t be more excited to welcome baby #3 soon!—
Kimberlee Speakman,
People.com,
26 July 2025
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Signs that may indicate you are include: keeping eye contact with a soft, loving gaze; physical contact, including licking, leaning, and sleeping in tour bed; bringing you gifts; and just being generally excited to see you.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 July 2025
Adjective
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Joe Mazur, senior analyst at Trivium China, a research and advisory firm, said the use of exit bans and the lack of clarity around specific cases will make foreign companies extremely nervous about sending staff to China, damaging overall business confidence.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
23 July 2025
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All 11 brought home at least one full point in Rome, the result of their talent but also of a cohesive approach where veteran Justin Rose was willing to be paired with nervous rookie Robert MacIntyre in fourball and sit the foursomes sessions.—
Brody Miller,
New York Times,
23 July 2025
Adjective
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This is a disturbing statistic and speaks to an increase in the total number of people defacing themselves, but also a rise in the amount of ink per person.—
Scott Liftman,
Boston Herald,
25 July 2025
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The board of the Regional Transportation Authority met Friday to discuss ways to respond to the cut, striking a note of optimism to counter the disturbing prediction for Tri-Rail’s future.—
Rafael Olmeda,
Sun Sentinel,
25 July 2025
Adjective
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The tournament drew crowds from across Gauteng, eager to witness high-intensity action from top teams battling for the R500,000 winner-takes-all prize.—
Sindiswa Mabunda,
Forbes.com,
27 July 2025
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The historic Civil War fort opens its rooms, galleries, and grounds to visitors eager to learn about life as a Union soldier.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
27 July 2025
Adjective
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Bettors are taking the underdog in the hopes of an upset.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
1 Aug. 2025
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In return, the Twins got a whole lot of salary relief, particularly from the Correa deal, a host of prospects, young major-league players and an upset fanbase.—
Betsy Helfand,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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One client shared how a simple practice of pausing to name their emotion before responding in a tense board meeting helped de-escalate conflict and steer the conversation toward collaboration.—
Maureen Metcalf,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
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Trump's trade deals with many countries—perhaps most notably China and the European Union—remain in tense negotiations, each one potentially affecting their manufacturing costs.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
22 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Anxious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anxious. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
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