ANXIETIES Synonyms: 118 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'anxiety' distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of anxiety are care , concern , solicitude , and worry . While all these words mean "a troubled or engrossed state of mind or the thing that causes this," anxiety stresses anguished uncertainty or fear of misfortune or failure. // plagued by anxiety and self-doubt

Q: Where would 'care' be a reasonable alternative to 'anxiety'?

The meanings of care and anxiety largely overlap; however, care implies oppression of the mind weighed down by responsibility or disquieted by apprehension. // a face worn by years of care

Q: When would 'concern' be a good substitute for 'anxiety'?

The words concern and anxiety can be used in similar contexts, but concern implies a troubled state of mind because of personal interest, relation, or affection. // crimes caused concern in the neighborhood

Q: When is it sensible to use 'solicitude' instead of 'anxiety'?

The synonyms solicitude and anxiety are sometimes interchangeable, but solicitude implies great concern and connotes either thoughtful or hovering attentiveness toward another. // acted with typical maternal solicitude

Q: When might 'worry' be a better fit than 'anxiety'?

The words worry and anxiety are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, worry suggests fretting over matters that may or may not be real cause for anxiety. // financial worries

anxiety

noun

aŋ-ˈzī-ə-tē

Definition of anxiety

as in fear

an uneasy state of mind usually over the possibility of an anticipated misfortune or trouble Dorothy's anxiety about her brother's operation kept her awake all night

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in dread

the emotion experienced in the presence or threat of danger the newly discovered virus is creating considerable anxiety in the public at large

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word anxiety distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of anxiety are care, concern, solicitude, and worry. While all these words mean "a troubled or engrossed state of mind or the thing that causes this," anxiety stresses anguished uncertainty or fear of misfortune or failure.

plagued by anxiety and self-doubt

Where would care be a reasonable alternative to anxiety?

The meanings of care and anxiety largely overlap; however, care implies oppression of the mind weighed down by responsibility or disquieted by apprehension.

a face worn by years of care

When would concern be a good substitute for anxiety?

The words concern and anxiety can be used in similar contexts, but concern implies a troubled state of mind because of personal interest, relation, or affection.

crimes caused concern in the neighborhood

When is it sensible to use solicitude instead of anxiety?

The synonyms solicitude and anxiety are sometimes interchangeable, but solicitude implies great concern and connotes either thoughtful or hovering attentiveness toward another.

acted with typical maternal solicitude

When might worry be a better fit than anxiety?

The words worry and anxiety are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, worry suggests fretting over matters that may or may not be real cause for anxiety.

financial worries

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of anxiety The longtime Adult Swim mischief-maker behind the viral hits ‘Too Many Cooks’ and ‘Yule Log’ specializes in hijacking familiar media formats, revealing the sinister anxieties beneath them. — Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026 McGee joked with the crowd that their most similar qualities were distress around loud noises and mild anxiety. — Maddie Rhodes, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026 Avicii was hospitalized for health issues throughout his lifetime, and increased alcohol consumption to curb his anxiety led to acute pancreatitis and a gall bladder surgery. — Jaeden Pinder, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2026 Dementia can also cause behavioral symptoms such as confusion, apathy, personality changes, anxiety and depression. — Hillary Lum, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for anxiety

Recent Examples of Synonyms for anxiety

Noun

As families wait for news about their relatives, damaged roads, power outages and fears of further flooding have hampered rescue efforts.

— Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2026
The announcement is spurring fears of a fresh wave of Canadian travelers steering clear of the US.

— Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of fear

Noun

Other areas of concern are the library system's self-check-out kiosks, instances in which minor teenagers handle materials while working or volunteering at a branch, and platforms for loaning electronic materials, Adams said.

— Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 28 Aug. 2026
Clever and snappy, fresh and silly, a winning combination of classic Looney Tunes gags and contemporary concerns (the press notes mention many influences including, no joke, The Insider).

— Bethy Squires, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of concern

Noun

Sometime after midnight, Hood felt a sense of dread that didn’t let up until the early morning hours.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2026
Both movies share more than a few qualities, notably the same love of infinite interzones and the same flavor of exponentially increasing existential dread.

— David Fear, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of dread

Noun

Solar attracted the most investment among renewable energy subsectors during the first six months of the year as countries rush to build capacity as worries grow that global wars will continue squeezing energy supplies.

— Eugenia Perozo, semafor.com, 27 Aug. 2026
Research shows, however, that the public is always a little bit concerned about corruption, and that these worries often do not correspond with particular actions by politicians.

— Robert Boatright, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of worry

Noun

But there’s more than gags here; the episode also delves into the gang’s unease with their changing lives, as well as the reservations everyone but Ted seems to have about his engagement to Stella (Sarah Chalke).

— Erin Strecker, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Aug. 2026
But Susser said the unease might also reflect that society hasn’t quite established clear norms around AI use.

— Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of unease

Noun

And some of the film’s most impressive frights take place in the dentist’s chair, veering into serious body-horror territory.

— Tomris Laffly, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026
After a couple of rounds of throwing up and an evaluation by the doctor, Coop is okay, but the whole thing puts a fright into the crew, and especially into Joy.

— Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 21 July 2026

Definition of fright

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antsy

anxiety

anxious

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“Anxiety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anxiety. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of anxiety

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