anxious

UK: /ˈæŋkʃəs/ US: /ˈæŋkʃəs, ˈæŋ-/ ,(angk′shəs, ang′-)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

anx•ious /ˈæŋkʃəs, ˈæŋ-/   adj. 

1. full of mental distress or of fear of danger or misfortune;
   troubled;
   worried:
   felt anxious about her health.
2. causing mental distress or fear:
   [before a noun] We had a few anxious moments when she leaned from the window.
3. earnestly desirous;
   eager:
   [~ + for] She's very anxious for promotion.
   [~ + to + verb]
   [be + ~] I was anxious to meet you.
   [~ + for + object + to + verb]
   I was anxious for them to meet you.
   [~ + that clause]
   We are very anxious that you come to see us.

anx•ious•ly, adv. 
anx•ious•ness, n. [uncountable]
Related Words

anxious is an adjective, anxiously is an adverb, anxiety is a noun:
I was anxious about the results. I anxiously awaited the results. We were filled with anxiety waiting for the results.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

anx•ious  (angk′shəs, ang′-), adj. 

1. full of mental distress or uneasiness because of fear of danger or misfortune;
   greatly worried;
   solicitous:
   Her parents were anxious about her poor health.
2. earnestly desirous;
   eager (usually fol. by an infinitive or for):
   anxious to please; anxious for our happiness.
3. attended with or showing solicitude or uneasiness:
   anxious forebodings.

• Latin anxius worried, distressed, derivative of angere to strangle, pain, distress; compare anguish, -ous
• 1615–25

anx′ious•ly, adv. 
anx′ious•ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. concerned, disturbed, apprehensive, fearful, uneasy.

Antonyms

• 1. calm, confident.
• 2. reluctant, hesitant.

Usage

The earliest sense of anxious (in the 17th century) was "troubled'' or "worried'':
We are still anxious for the safety of our dear sons in battle.
Its meaning "earnestly desirous, eager'' arose in the mid-18th century:
We are anxious to see our new grandson.
Some insist that anxious must always convey a sense of distress or worry and object to its use in the sense of "eager,'' but such use is fully standard.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

anxious / ˈæŋkʃəs ˈæŋʃəs/ adjective

1. worried and tense because of possible misfortune, danger, etc; uneasy
2. fraught with or causing anxiety; worrying; distressing: an anxious time
3. intensely desirous; eager: anxious for promotion

Etymology: 17th Century: from Latin anxius; related to Latin angere to torment; see anger, anguish

ˈanxiously adverb

ˈanxiousness noun