: a feeling of anxiety, apprehension, or insecurity
teenage angst
angsted; angsting; angsts
: to feel or express anxiety, apprehension, or insecurity : to experience or express angst
"… all that time spent agonizing, angsting, and wasted in so many ways, feeling crappy and not writing … ."—
Zsuzsi Gartner
Zsuzsi GartnerAnd there was a whiff of "first-world problems" about two not particularly likeable characters angsting to each other in a trendy-looking gastropub.—Jeff Robson
—often used with over or aboutJeff RobsonYet now we have a Superman who angsts about not having human connections (his marriage to Lois never happened now) and mopes around quite a bit.—Corrina Lawson
Corrina LawsonWe boomers have moved on to mortgages and taxes, angsting over our teenagers and tending to the first signs of ailments apt to drag us down more quickly than we'd like to admit.—Robert Benjamin
Robert BenjaminExamples of angst in a Sentence
Noun
The winner of France's prestigious Prix de Flore, "Report on Myself" is a study in raw angst and mortifying self-disclosure: a portrait of the artist as a lover who just can't catch a break.
—Caroline Weber, New York Times Book Review, 15 Feb. 2009
Adapting Alicia Erian's novel, writer-director Alan Ball showcases both the knack for sketching out thorny relationships that distinguished Six Feet Under and the impulse for … suburban angst that befouled his script for American Beauty.
—Troy Patterson, Spin, September 2008
The retail category, of course, has been a source of angst among newspapers for some time. Retail ad volume in papers has declined for much of the past 15 years, according to Merrill Lynch research.
—Lucia Moses et al., Editor & Publisher, 8 Oct. 2001
One way to increase these health benefits is to learn how to write more fluidly and with less angst and frustration. When you're engaged with what you're doing, the rest of the world recedes.
—Susan H. Perry, Psychology Today, November/December 2001
a film about teenage angst
Caroline Weber, New York Times Book Review, 15 Feb. 2009
Adapting Alicia Erian's novel, writer-director Alan Ball showcases both the knack for sketching out thorny relationships that distinguished Six Feet Under and the impulse for … suburban angst that befouled his script for American Beauty.
—Troy Patterson, Spin, September 2008
The retail category, of course, has been a source of angst among newspapers for some time. Retail ad volume in papers has declined for much of the past 15 years, according to Merrill Lynch research.
—Lucia Moses et al., Editor & Publisher, 8 Oct. 2001
One way to increase these health benefits is to learn how to write more fluidly and with less angst and frustration. When you're engaged with what you're doing, the rest of the world recedes.
—Susan H. Perry, Psychology Today, November/December 2001
a film about teenage angst
Recent Examples on the Web
Joshua Rivera, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2024
While there may not be a cure for our national angst, there is still one thing that works — fair play.
—Major Garrett, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2024
Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 16 May 2024
Fans reflect the roller coaster that can bring both thrills and nausea, their premature gloating or wailing and angst all over social media.
—Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 9 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for angst 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
A little less angst would’ve gone a long way here, but comics fans will find plenty worth sticking around for.
33.
—Joshua Rivera, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2024
While there may not be a cure for our national angst, there is still one thing that works — fair play.
—Major Garrett, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
The recent inflation crisis has given Americans angst about the economy, and recent CNN polls show that many people believe the US economy is headed in the wrong direction.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 16 May 2024
Fans reflect the roller coaster that can bring both thrills and nausea, their premature gloating or wailing and angst all over social media.
—Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 9 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for angst
Dictionary Entries Near angst
Cite this Entry
“Angst.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/angst. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share