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full of mental distress or uneasiness because of fear of danger or misfortune; greatly worried; solicitous:
her parents were anxious about her poor health.
earnestly desirous; eager (usually followed by an infinitive or for):
anxious to please; anxious for our happiness.
attended with or showing solicitude or uneasiness:
anxious forebodings.
historical examples

was it to speak of his anxiousness as to the state of her father’s health that he had led her there, and that he held her hand?
beauchamp’s career, complete george meredith

one day he was seized with anxiousness for his soul’s future.
the silver lining john roussel

what anxiousness when any danger threatens the hero, be he king’s son or a wheat-straw!
special method in primary reading and oral work with stories charles alexander mcmurry

by another spring the aching and anxiousness were a little dulled, for habit blunts even the keen edge of mortal pain.
the children’s book of thanksgiving stories various

but his father’s anxiousness would be greater than his own could be.
the lost prince frances hodgson burnett

and the anxiousness of her spirits directed her eyes towards his figure so repeatedly, as to catch miss tilney’s notice.
northanger abbey jane austen

a slight shade of anxiousness showed itself in her eyes, and betty sat down by her and took her hand.
the shuttle frances hodgson burnett

each of the three faces was pale enough; but pamela had the trouble of these two, as well as her own anxiousness in her eyes.
theo mrs. frances hodgson burnett

and the anxiousness of the combat and the battle came upon him.
the ancient irish epic tale tin b calnge unknown

to be happy is a cause of anxiousness to me; he said, i would like to live long in this house.
the life and letters of lafcadio hearn, volume 1 elizabeth bisland

adjective
worried and tense because of possible misfortune, danger, etc; uneasy
fraught with or causing anxiety; worrying; distressing: an anxious time
intensely desirous; eager: anxious for promotion
adj.

1620s, from latin anxius “solicitous, uneasy, troubled in mind” (also “causing anxiety, troublesome”), from angere, anguere “choke, squeeze,” figuratively “torment, cause distress” (see anger (v.)). the same image is in serbo-croatian tjeskoba “anxiety,” literally “tightness, narrowness.” related: anxiously; anxiousness.