Okuzeka
Psychology vocabulary · Mental Health Conditions

Anxiety

Meaning in psychology, with examples

/æŋˈzaɪəti/nounCore term

In psychology, anxiety means: A feeling of worry, tension or fear about something that might happen, often with physical signs such as a fast heartbeat; when intense and lasting, it can be part of a disorder.

In Turkish: kaygı, anksiyete, endişe

How it is used

Both an everyday and a clinical word. Clinicians separate normal anxiety from anxiety disorders such as generalised anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder and panic disorder. Common phrases: experience anxiety, reduce anxiety, anxiety symptoms.

Example sentences

  1. Mild anxiety before an exam can actually improve performance.

  2. His anxiety gets worse in crowded places, so he has started avoiding them.

Common collocations

  • social anxiety
  • anxiety disorder
  • reduce anxiety
  • health anxiety
  • performance anxiety
  • panic attackA sudden wave of intense fear that peaks within minutes, with physical symptoms such as a pounding heart, breathlessness and dizziness, and a fear of dying or losing control.
  • phobiaAn intense, lasting and out-of-proportion fear of a specific object or situation, such as spiders, heights or flying, that leads to avoidance.
  • stressThe body's and mind's response to demands or threats that seem to exceed a person's resources, involving physical arousal, tension and worry.
  • exposure therapyA behavioural treatment in which a person faces feared situations, objects, memories or sensations gradually and safely, so that fear decreases and avoidance stops.

More terms: Mental Health Conditions

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level:

This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.