Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

anxiety

/æːŋˈzɑe.əti/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.45 in modern English

Syllables: an-xi-e-ty
IPA: /æːŋˈzɑe.əti/

17

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

4

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

An unpleasant state of mental uneasiness, nervousness, apprehension and obsession or concern about some uncertain event.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

An uneasy or distressing desire (for something). Endeavor (to please).

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A state of restlessness and agitation, often accompanied by a distressing sense of oppression or tightness in the stomach.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Any anxiety disorder, especially generalized anxiety disorder.

Countable; Informal; Uncountable

Example Sentences

"generalized anxiety disorder"
"feel anxiety"
"cause anxiety"
"She felt a wave of anxiety before the interview."
"He suffers from social anxiety."
"The inquest on keeper Davidson was duly held, and at the commencement seemed likely to cause Tony Palliser less anxiety than he had expected."

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin ānxietās, from ānxius (“anxious, solicitous, distressed, troubled”), from angō (“to distress, trouble”), akin to Ancient Greek ἄγχω (ánkhō, “to choke”). Equivalent to anxious + -ety. See anger; angst.

Word Breakdown

Root: *h₂enǵʰ-
Suffix: anxious

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /æːŋˈzɑe.əti/
British English: /æŋˈzaɪ.əti/

Usage

Inflected Forms

anxieties (plural) anxietie (alternative)

Derived Forms

antianxiety anxietist anxietize anxietous ecoanxiety hangxiety hyperanxiety nonanxiety overanxiety ringxiety scanxiety

Phrases

anxiety disorder anxiety neurosis approach anxiety castration anxiety climate anxiety eco-anxiety generalized anxiety disorder illness anxiety disorder

Synonyms

care solicitude foreboding uneasiness perplexity disquietude disquiet trouble apprehension restlessness distress

Rhymes With

society variety notoriety sobriety piety propriety impropriety satiety

Questions

How do you pronounce anxiety?: The recorded pronunciation is /æːŋˈzɑe.əti/.
What does anxiety mean?: An unpleasant state of mental uneasiness, nervousness, apprehension and obsession or concern about some uncertain event.
Where does anxiety come from?: Borrowed from Latin ānxietās, from ānxius (“anxious, solicitous, distressed, troubled”), from angō (“to distress, trouble”), akin to Ancient Greek ἄγχω (ánkhō, “to choke”). Equivalent to anxious + -ety. See anger; angst.

How to pronounce anxiety

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “anxiety”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/æːŋˈzɑe.əti/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “anxiety”.
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