anxiety

/ˌæŋ(ɡ)ˈzaɪ.ɪ.ti/

//ˌæŋ(ɡ)ˈzaɪ.ɪ.ti// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"anxiety" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“anxiety” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #3,278 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#3,278
frequency rank, English
7
letters
10
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An unpleasant state of mental uneasiness, nervousness, apprehension and obsession or concern about some uncertain event.

Key facts for anxiety
PropertyValue
Headwordanxiety
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌæŋ(ɡ)ˈzaɪ.ɪ.ti/
Letters7
Frequency rank#3,278
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “anxiety” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). anxiety lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for anxiety is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌæŋ(ɡ)ˈzaɪ.ɪ.ti/. Corpus data places it at rank #3,278 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for anxiety, with forms such as "anixety", "annxiety", and "anxeity". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin anxietās, from anxius (“anxious, solicitous, distressed, troubled”), from angō (“to distress, trouble”), akin to Ancient Greek ἄγχω (ánkhō, “to choke”). Equivalent to anxious + -ety. See anger; angst. The correct English form is anxiety, spelled A-N-X-I-E-T-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    An unpleasant state of mental uneasiness, nervousness, apprehension and obsession or concern about some uncertain event.
  2. 2
    An uneasy or distressing desire (for something). Endeavor (to please).
  3. 3
    A state of restlessness and agitation, often accompanied by a distressing sense of oppression or tightness in the stomach.
  4. 4
    Any anxiety disorder, especially generalized anxiety disorder.

Etymology

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

Synonyms

caresolicitudeforebodinguneasinessperplexitydisquietudedisquiettroubleapprehensionrestlessnessdistress

This word in other languages

zozobra(Español)anxiété(Français)Unbehagen(Deutsch)angústia(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: anixety,annxiety,anxeity,anxietty,anxietyy,anxieyt,anxitey,anxxiety,axniety,naxiety

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of anxiety - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

anixety2annxiety1anxeity2anxietty1anxietyy1anxieyt2anxitey2anxxiety1
Edit distance from "anxiety"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "anxiety"?
"anxiety" is spelled A-N-X-I-E-T-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌæŋ(ɡ)ˈzaɪ.ɪ.ti/.
What does "anxiety" mean?
As a noun, "anxiety" means: An unpleasant state of mental uneasiness, nervousness, apprehension and obsession or concern about some uncertain event.
What are common misspellings of "anxiety"?
Common misspellings include "anixety", "annxiety", "anxeity", "anxietty", "anxietyy". The correct spelling is "anxiety".
How do you pronounce "anxiety"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "anxiety" is /ˌæŋ(ɡ)ˈzaɪ.ɪ.ti/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "anxiety"?
Borrowed from Latin anxietās, from anxius (“anxious, solicitous, distressed, troubled”), from angō (“to distress, trouble”), akin to Ancient Greek ἄγχω (ánkhō, “to choke”). Equivalent to anxious + -ety. See anger; angst. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “anxiety”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is A-N-X-I-E-T-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌæŋ(ɡ)ˈzaɪ.ɪ.ti/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list