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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 Having your debut film premiere at a major film festival is cause for anxiety enough. James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Mar. 2025 Trump defends trade war amid growing economic anxiety America's anxiety about rising food prices and other living expenses sat at the center of the 2024 election that catapulted Trump back into the White House. Phillip M. Bailey, USA TODAY, 5 Mar. 2025 Moving the clocks forward has been known to exacerbate symptoms of anxiety and depression, and has also been linked to an increase in heart attacks and strokes. Simmone Shah, TIME, 5 Mar. 2025 While some financial hiccups are normal in early adulthood, ongoing instability could signal deeper struggles with budgeting, impulsivity or even financial anxiety. Mark Travers, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for anxiety
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anxiety
Noun
  • Soft signals about the economy The pullback in spending comes at a time when American consumers are growing increasingly pessimistic on fears that inflation will pick up because of President Donald Trump’s talk of wide-ranging tariffs, according to various surveys.
    Alicia Wallace, CNN, 28 Feb. 2025
  • The number of cancellations comes from a person who asked for anonymity because of the fear of repercussions at the Post.
    David Folkenflik, NPR, 28 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Trade tensions and signs of slowing growth have led to worries that a recession could be looming.
    Auzinea Bacon, CNN, 9 Mar. 2025
  • Those worries were only amplified by his State of the Union speech.
    Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 8 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Amid federal workforce layoffs and concerns about the economic impact of his trade policies—which have already sparked panic in the U.S. stock market—several CEOs have voiced doubts about the president's agenda.
    Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Then, as now, much of the moral panic over what's being taught in schools is really rooted in anxieties about the racial order of the United States.
    Gene Demby, NPR, 7 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Clearly, an allegation of this magnitude is incredibly disturbing and causes concerns about the safety of the children in our school community.
    Staff report, Hartford Courant, 5 Mar. 2025
  • Despite getting the surgery, Cassidy acknowledges that her BRCA status presents ongoing concerns about ovarian cancer.
    Ashley Vega, People.com, 5 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Over the past few weeks, my family has watched with dread as the Trump administration has closed the borders of the United States to asylum seekers and refugees just like in World War II.
    Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 27 Feb. 2025
  • For many, there's a feeling of dread associated with software updates to your favorite gadget.
    Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, 11 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • However, the romantic narrative is punctuated by subtle moments of unease, each barely perceptible on its own but which, taken together, build into something rather more sinister.
    Stephanie Hirschmiller, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
  • More than a year later, the campus remains in a state of bewildered unease.
    Nathan Heller, The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Anxiety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anxiety. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

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