anxiety: Learner’s Word of the Day

1 : fear or nervousness about what might happen

[noncount]

feelings of anger and anxiety

She suffers from chronic/acute anxiety.

He suffers from test anxiety. [=excessive fear about taking tests]

He’s been feeling a lot of anxiety about/over his new job.

[count] — usually plural

modern anxieties about terrorism

She discussed her anxieties with her sister.

2 [singular] : a feeling of wanting to do something very much

She has always had an anxiety to succeed. [=she has always been anxious to succeed]