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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 If a particular type of content leaves someone feeling anxious or upset, that’s a helpful signal to consume less of it and even block those who create that kind of online work. Kara Alaimo, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2025 Practicing mindfulness meditation can also help a leader stay present, adjust more readily to change and avoid getting caught up in anxious thoughts about the future. Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025 Rob, anxious for a comeback, sees the project as the way to get his career back on track. Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 28 Mar. 2025 As the end of the sale nears, the company running things becomes more and more anxious to sell as much of the merchandise as possible. Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 22 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for anxious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anxious
Adjective
  • The patient’s toe had been amputated because of an infection causing unbearable pain and Dr Shaik, a neurology resident overseeing her care was worried.
    Hansa Bhargava, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
  • As the Trump administration makes major cuts to federal health agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, some Alzheimer's experts are worried about research for the brain-impairing disease being halted, which could impact treatment options and the lives of patients and their families.
    Sara Moniuszko, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Inflation, perhaps stiffened by tariffs, and uncertainty over the future of the labor market have left consumers feeling uneasy.
    DeArbea Walker, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • But the Armageddon-level stakes of unrest in the region should make anyone uneasy about mishaps.
    Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • But the Devils are a bit of a mess thanks to injuries, which makes this matchup hard to get too excited over.
    Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
  • So, when the opportunity to visit Tanzania arose, I was intrigued and excited to embark on this journey.
    Ronny Maye, Essence, 28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • During her rehearsal, Windsor was visibly nervous and explained that the song was a risk.
    Daniela Avila, People.com, 7 Apr. 2025
  • The Hill: Families and students are nervous about the fate of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid amid Trump’s massive cuts to the Department of Education and his plans to do away with it entirely.
    Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Other times, Claude’s mental activity seems super disturbing and maybe even dangerous.
    Steven Levy, Wired News, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Just as disturbing and bizarre, at least one juror originally didn’t want to convict Zeigler at all and didn’t vote to do so until after that same judge ordered the bailiff to give her a Valium.
    Scott Maxwell, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • In addition, stubbornly high interest rates are prompting institutional investors to offload their holdings in these prime spaces, while luxury companies are eager to take advantage of once-in-a-generation opportunities, and lock in properties for the long term.
    Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The paper gave him space to hone his style and themes, as well as time to find an audience eager for something that was not like anything else.
    Art Spiegelman, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Some people find that drinking it on an empty stomach, such as before breakfast, can also lead to digestive upset or acid reflux.
    Sohaib Imtiaz, Verywell Health, 2 Apr. 2025
  • This resulted in the anonymous poster feeling guilty and upset.
    Ashley Vega, People.com, 2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • After three days of tense competition at the Regional Championships, the postseason field narrowed from 36 to 16.
    Caroline Price, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
  • On March 15, 2025, the family experienced the tense moments of watching a tornado form nearby but were fortunate enough to escape the worst.
    Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 5 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Anxious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anxious. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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