anxiety disorder: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal/Clinical
Quick answer
What does “anxiety disorder” mean?
A mental health condition characterised by excessive, persistent fear, worry, and anxiety that interferes with daily life.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A mental health condition characterised by excessive, persistent fear, worry, and anxiety that interferes with daily life.
A formal diagnostic category in psychiatry and clinical psychology, encompassing several specific disorders (e.g., generalised anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder) defined by criteria in diagnostic manuals like the DSM-5 or ICD-11. The term implies a medicalised, clinical diagnosis rather than temporary or situational nervousness.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Spelling follows respective norms (e.g., 'generalised' vs. 'generalized' within compound terms). The conceptual framework and diagnostic criteria are identical, based on international manuals.
Connotations
Identical clinical connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American media/public discourse about mental health, but the term is standard and common in both varieties within professional contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “anxiety disorder” in a Sentence
be diagnosed with [an anxiety disorder]suffer from [an anxiety disorder]treat [an anxiety disorder] [with therapy][anxiety disorder] is characterised by [symptom]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “anxiety disorder” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The GP will assess whether to refer him to a specialist who can diagnose the suspected anxiety disorder.
- The programme aims to support people learning to manage their anxiety disorder.
American English
- The therapist helped her work through the trauma that was exacerbating her anxiety disorder.
- He's being treated for an anxiety disorder he developed after the accident.
adverb
British English
- [No standard adverbial form derived directly. Use descriptively:] She was diagnosed, anxiety-disorder-wise, several years ago. (Highly informal/rare)
- He presented, anxiety-disorder-related, with severe avoidance.
American English
- [No standard adverbial form derived directly. Use descriptively:] She manages her condition, anxiety-disorder-wise, quite effectively with therapy. (Highly informal/rare)
- The patient was struggling, anxiety-disorder-wise, more than before.
adjective
British English
- She received an anxiety-disorder diagnosis last year.
- The clinic offers specialist anxiety-disorder treatment.
American English
- He is part of an anxiety-disorder support group.
- The new research focuses on anxiety-disorder subtypes.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in HR/wellness contexts: 'The company's health plan covers treatment for anxiety disorders.'
Academic
Common in psychology, medicine, and social science research: 'The study examined the prevalence of anxiety disorders in adolescents.'
Everyday
Used when discussing personal or known mental health diagnoses: 'She is seeking help for her anxiety disorder.'
Technical
Core term in clinical psychiatry/psychology, with specific diagnostic codes: 'F41.9: Unspecified anxiety disorder (ICD-10).'
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “anxiety disorder”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “anxiety disorder”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “anxiety disorder”
- Using 'anxiety disorder' to describe normal pre-exam nerves (over-pathologising).
- Incorrect pluralisation: 'anxieties disorders' (should be 'anxiety disorders').
- Misspelling: 'anxeity disorder'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While feeling anxious is a normal emotion, an 'anxiety disorder' is a medical diagnosis where anxiety is excessive, persistent, and impairs daily functioning.
Yes. Common types include Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, and various phobia-related disorders, each with specific diagnostic criteria.
Yes. Anxiety disorders are highly treatable through evidence-based approaches, typically involving psychotherapy (like CBT), medication, or a combination of both.
It's a formal/clinical term. Use it accurately, especially when discussing a diagnosed condition. In casual talk about general worry, simpler terms like 'severe anxiety' or 'chronic anxiety' might be more appropriate unless a diagnosis is confirmed and relevant to the discussion.
A mental health condition characterised by excessive, persistent fear, worry, and anxiety that interferes with daily life.
Anxiety disorder is usually formal/clinical in register.
Anxiety disorder: in British English it is pronounced /aŋˈzaɪ.ə.ti dɪsˌɔː.də/, and in American English it is pronounced /æŋˈzaɪ.ə.t̬i dɪsˌɔːr.dɚ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[not an idiom per se, but common phrasing] 'a diagnosed anxiety disorder', 'anxiety disorder diagnosis'”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'ANXIety disORDER' = A condition that puts your nerves in a state of disorder (dis-order).
Conceptual Metaphor
ANXIETY IS A BURDEN/CAGE ('weighed down by anxiety disorder', 'trapped by her anxiety disorder'), MENTAL ILLNESS IS A PHYSICAL ILLNESS ('suffering from', 'treating' an anxiety disorder).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'anxiety disorder' MOST appropriately used?