ANXIOUS Synonyms: 188 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'anxious' distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of anxious are athirst , avid , eager , and keen . While all these words mean "moved by a strong and urgent desire or interest," anxious emphasizes fear of frustration or failure or disappointment. // anxious not to make a social blunder

Q: When would 'athirst' be a good substitute for 'anxious'?

Although the words athirst and anxious have much in common, athirst stresses yearning but not necessarily readiness for action. // athirst for adventure

Q: How do 'avid' and 'eager' relate to one another, in the sense of 'anxious'?

Avid adds to eager the implication of insatiability or greed. // avid for new thrills

Q: When is 'eager' a more appropriate choice than 'anxious'?

The synonyms eager and anxious are sometimes interchangeable, but eager implies ardor and enthusiasm and sometimes impatience at delay or restraint. // eager to get started

Q: Where would 'keen' be a reasonable alternative to 'anxious'?

While the synonyms keen and anxious are close in meaning, keen suggests intensity of interest and quick responsiveness in action. // keen on the latest fashions

anxious

adjective

ˈaŋ(k)-shəs

Definition of anxious

as in worried

feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty was anxious about the play tryouts scheduled for the following day

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in excited

showing urgent desire or interest I'm anxious for my birthday party

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word anxious distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of anxious are athirst, avid, eager, and keen. While all these words mean "moved by a strong and urgent desire or interest," anxious emphasizes fear of frustration or failure or disappointment.

anxious not to make a social blunder

When would athirst be a good substitute for anxious?

Although the words athirst and anxious have much in common, athirst stresses yearning but not necessarily readiness for action.

athirst for adventure

How do avid and eager relate to one another, in the sense of anxious?

Avid adds to eager the implication of insatiability or greed.

avid for new thrills

When is eager a more appropriate choice than anxious?

The synonyms eager and anxious are sometimes interchangeable, but eager implies ardor and enthusiasm and sometimes impatience at delay or restraint.

eager to get started

Where would keen be a reasonable alternative to anxious?

While the synonyms keen and anxious are close in meaning, keen suggests intensity of interest and quick responsiveness in action.

keen on the latest fashions

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 anxious Cook argues this creates an unintentional selfishness, in which your anxious thoughts distract you from noticing what’s actually going on with the people around you. — Hannah Harper, HEALTH, 14 Aug. 2026 Both The Fallout and My Old Ass were 100 percent bred out of me freaking out and being anxious about something. — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026 Retailers responded with deep discounts on various lettuce products in an attempt to win back anxious shoppers. — Brittney Melton, NPR, 13 Aug. 2026 The Thunderbirds are the main attraction but some of the young civil air cadets from Indiana and Illinois were anxious to glimpse the new F-22 Raptor, a stealth jet that can remain invisible on radar. — Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for anxious

Recent Examples of Synonyms for anxious

Adjective

Why people don’t like it Some residents are worried about how these sprawling energy farms will affect local soil, especially near farmland.

— AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 20 Aug. 2026
The drop in tech talent in the Bay Area comes as workers grow more worried that AI could lead to fewer jobs.

— Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of worried

Adjective

Security will remain in place at the schools, officials said, and counselors will be available for students who feel uneasy about attending classes.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 20 Aug. 2026
But that blend of raucous laughs (OK, well, some raucous laughs, some mere attempts at them) and real world concerns makes for an uneasy watch, ping-ponging between moods and tones in unpredictable ways.

— Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of uneasy

Adjective

But the person most excited to play catch with his father, Ron, was Twins manager Derek Shelton, who wasn’t sure his arm would be capable after throwing Buxton batting practice Monday.

— Dan Hayes, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Even still, the filmmaker is excited to let Edinburgh audiences begin probing this surprisingly affecting piece on loss and extraterrestrial life.

— Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of excited

Adjective

Until Bezos, or any of his new partners, speak publicly, the conversation about what comes next will be nervous.

— Simon Hughes, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
In a nervous market full of geopolitical tension, IPOs have attracted a lot of investor attention, with AI darlings Anthropic and OpenAI preparing for their own debuts.

— Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of nervous

Adjective

The disturbing incident comes amidst a sharp increase in both felony and misdemeanor assaults in the subway system.

— Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 19 Aug. 2026
The story follows a husband and wife who buy their dream ranch only to discover the land is alive with ancient spirits, and survival means submitting to increasingly disturbing rituals with each turn of the season.

— Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of disturbing

Adjective

Penguin Random House, largest seller of books, and most eager to sell them best, testified in court that the sales of only 4 percent of its books effectively subsidized the rest.

— M. C. Mah, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026
The race has already inflamed tensions within the Democratic Party over how to energize liberal voters eager for unapologetic, combative candidates while not alienating independents and moderates who have been key to winning in battlegrounds.

— Matt Brown, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of eager

Adjective

Pasadena residents are upset after a bloodied peacock was found in their neighborhood last week after what appeared to be a violent encounter with a mail carrier.

— Nicole Comstock, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
Improved Digestion Bloating, constipation, acid reflux, upset stomach—all are uncomfortable signs of indigestion after eating.

— Audrey Noble, Vogue, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of upset

Adjective

Backstage at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum that Sunday evening, Lee was feeling tense, Lifeson less so.

— Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2026
Angels is relentless, melodic, and aggressive—Pocket Pet and Achilles are standouts—a darkly feverish run of glitchy and tense soundscapes.

— Vogue, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of tense

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“Anxious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anxious. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of anxious

adjective

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Synonyms of anxious

adjective

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Articles Related to anxious

Can 'anxious' be used to mean 'eager'?

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on anxious

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

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