All words

anxious

Meaning

Feeling or showing unease or apprehension about an impending or uncertain outcome; exhibiting strong desire or keen interest for something to happen.

Examples by difficulty

Basic: Simple, everyday vocabulary — the easiest to read.

She felt anxious about the test results. She really wanted to know if she passed, but the wait made her stomach twist. This feeling of unease about what would happen next was overwhelming.

She fidgeted, her eyes glued to the flickering screen. The results of the competitive moss-growing contest were due any minute, and she felt a knot of anxious energy in her stomach. She really wanted her prize-winning emerald carpet to win.

The antique phonograph sputtered to life, its needle a hesitant visitor on the worn vinyl. He leaned closer, his breath catching. He was so anxious to hear if the recording held his grandfather's lost melodies, a forgotten tune he desperately hoped would finally play.

Little Timmy was so anxious for the ice cream truck to arrive. He wiggled his legs, bounced on his toes, and peered down the street with a desperate hope. His tummy rumbled, a tiny thunder announcing his keen interest for cold, sweet treats.

Barnaby the badger felt so anxious about the giant donut rolling down the hill. He was truly exhibiting strong desire for it to stop, yet also unease about its impending sugary doom. Would it land on his prize-winning petunias? The suspense was truly unbearable.

Normal: Standard, everyday language.

She paced the waiting room, her stomach churning. Every tick of the clock amplified her anxious anticipation for the doctor’s news. She desperately wanted this to be over, a strange mix of dread and fierce hope swirling within her.

She clutched the worn photograph, her knuckles white. The shuttle's launch window was closing, and every ticking second made her more anxious for her brother's safe return from the asteroid mining colony.

The lone drone pilot, perched in the dimly lit cockpit, felt anxious. Hours ticked by as they waited for confirmation of the orbital repair, a knot tightening in their stomach with every silent minute. They intensely wished for that green light, for the mission to succeed.

Bartholomew clutched his ticket, his palms slick with sweat. He was so anxious for the donut-eating contest to start; the sheer thought of a mountain of sprinkles made him feel all tingly with anticipation. He just *had* to win that giant inflatable flamingo.

Brenda was anxious for her prize-winning poodle, Bartholomew, to win the dog show, pacing backstage and muttering about the judges' discerning palates. She desperately wanted Bartholomew to snag the blue ribbon, and frankly, the suspense was making her sweat through her sequined jumpsuit.

Advanced: Richer vocabulary that stretches an upper-level reader.

Waiting for the test results, she felt a knot in her stomach. She was anxious, wanting so desperately for good news, yet dreading whatever the future might hold. Her eagerness for a positive outcome warred with her apprehension about the unknown.

The deep-sea submersible shuddered, its lights reflecting off an unknown bioluminescent creature. Commander Eva felt an anxious knot tighten in her stomach, a potent mix of dread for the crushing abyss and a desperate desire to document this unprecedented discovery before their oxygen ran out.

The final calibration sequence hummed, lights blinking erratically. She felt a knot tighten in her stomach, anxious for the results of the xenobotanical growth chamber. Years of research hinged on this one unpredictable bloom.

Barnaby the badger was positively anxious, his whiskers twitching with such keen interest for the pie to appear that he nearly vibrated off his stool. He’d heard rumors of its legendary rhubarb filling and was experiencing profound unease about potentially missing out on a second helping.

Barnaby, an accomplished competitive napper, felt anxious as the final seconds ticked down for the annual Zzz-lympics. He exhibited strong desire for the judges to declare his slumber mastery, yet a sliver of unease fluttered; what if a rogue snore disqualified him?

Challenging: Rare, high-register vocabulary for serious word lovers.

She felt intensely anxious for the results of her rigorous application. A knot tightened in her stomach, a potent blend of unease about the uncertain outcome and a keen interest for acceptance to materialize.

The geologist, surveying the precipice for the tenth time, felt increasingly anxious. He was eager for the rare seismic tremor, a fleeting event vital to his research, yet the uncertainty of its timing gnawed at him.

He felt intensely anxious as the subterranean seismic dampeners began their slow, rhythmic hum. The successful calibration of the planetary core stabilizer was paramount, and the slightest anomaly would precipitate an existential catastrophe for their isolated research outpost. He desperately desired the diagnostic readouts to indicate optimal function.

Barnaby felt a peculiar sensation, a fervent anxiousity about whether the precocious peacock would indeed perform its resplendent pirouette. He craved this zoological exhibition with a precipitous intensity, his entire being vibrating with anticipation for the avian acrobatics, lest the feathered fellow devolve into mere pedestrian preening.

Barnaby, the exceptionally portly pugilist, felt decidedly anxious as he awaited the results of the annual ferret grooming competition. His prize-winning schnauzer, Bartholomew, had been disqualified for excessive pomade usage, leaving Barnaby with a strong desire for *any* other entrant to win, just so his nemesis, the notorious Agnes, wouldn't triumph.

Difficulty

Basic — Common words most learners already know.

Appears in

Play word games with anxious Take the 2 minute vocabulary size test