Angst
noun /æŋst/ — Deep anxiety or dread, often accompanied by a sense of meaninglessness.
Definition
A profound anxiety or existential dread — a feeling not just of worry but of unease about existence itself, about the weight and fragility of being. The word arrives from German philosophy and has never been adequately replaced.
Beyond the definition
Angst is not anxiety about a specific thing. Anxiety has an object. Angst is pre-objectual — the free-floating unease that attaches to whatever it finds. Kierkegaard, who named the existential dimension, called it 'the dizziness of freedom.'
Origin & history
German and Danish 'Angst' — fear, anxiety. Related to Latin 'angustus' (narrow) and 'angere' (to choke). Kierkegaard and then Heidegger gave it its philosophical depth.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
Teenage angst is real — the existential weight of figuring out who you are while the world continues.
She carried a low-level angst about the direction of things that no specific solution could address.
Angst is the discomfort of being aware of your own existence before you know what to do with that awareness.
Synonyms
existential dread, anxiety, anguish, foreboding
Antonyms
equanimity, peace, certainty
Related words
Angst vs anxiety
Anxiety is typically a nervous reaction to specific threats or future uncertainties. Angst implies a deep, philosophical dread regarding the meaning of existence and the nature of human freedom.
Compare this word
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Person reflecting on plastic purchases
A person looks conflicted between a reusable bag and plastic-wrapped purchases next to a plant, showing uncomfortable reflection.
The person's internal conflict and discomfort illustrate existential angst—the unease regarding their own behavior and the weight of their choices. It highlights the profound anxiety of being responsible for one's actions in a fragile world where values feel easily compromised.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration