WordGarden.iooveranxious
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /ˌəʊvərˈæŋʃəs/
US
Meanings
Adjective
excessively worried, nervous, or uneasy
too prone to worry or become tense by temperament
Beyond the definition
Imagine someone waiting for important news and checking their phone again and again, unable to relax for even a minute. That's a good starting point for understanding "overanxious." It's more than just feeling nervous; it's being too worried or too tense, often so much that it becomes hard to think clearly or act normally.
Someone who is overanxious might spend hours preparing for something fairly small, always thinking about what could go wrong. A student who is overanxious about a test might keep studying long after they are ready, simply because they cannot calm their fears. It's not just caring; it's caring too much. The word usually suggests that the worry is stronger than the situation calls for.
"Overanxious" describes a state of excessive anxiety, apprehension, or nervousness. It goes beyond normal concern and enters the realm of being unduly worried about potential problems or outcomes. Think of it as an amplified version of feeling anxious—where the volume is turned up too high.
The word implies that the level of worry isn't justified by the situation at hand. A person might be overanxious about public speaking even if they are a skilled presenter, or overanxious about their children's safety, constantly hovering and intervening despite evidence that the children are capable and safe. It can manifest as restlessness, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and physical symptoms like sweating or trembling.
"Overanxious" isn't typically used to describe a fleeting moment of nervousness. Instead, it often suggests a pattern of behavior or a tendency toward excessive worry. You might say someone is overanxious as a trait, rather than simply stating they feel overanxious in a single passing moment.
It's also important to distinguish "overanxious" from clinical anxiety disorders. While someone experiencing a clinical disorder may be described as overanxious, the term itself doesn't necessarily imply a medical condition. It simply highlights an unusually high level of worry or apprehension in a given context.
So, if you see someone constantly fretting, anticipating disaster, and struggling to relax, they might just be overanxious—caught in a cycle of excessive concern that overshadows the present moment.
Examples
- 1
Job interview
Try not to be overanxious about the interview; you have prepared well.
- 2
New parents
New parents can become overanxious when their baby has a mild fever.
- 3
School families
The teacher sent a quick message to calm the overanxious families.
- 4
Eager to please
She was overanxious to please her new boss, so she said yes to every extra task.
- Patternoveranxious to + verb
too eager to do it, often because you are worried
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Quick decisions
Don’t make an overanxious decision just because the numbers look bad today.
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- overanxious parents
- overanxious about
- become overanxious
Word family
- overanxiously
- overanxiety
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Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- overanxiousadjective