heightened anxiety

USAGE SUMMARY

"heightened anxiety" is correct and can be used in written English.
An example sentence may be: "The constant fear of the unknown was causing a heightened anxiety in the entire town."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

"I had heightened anxiety because of everything that's happened," Ms. Cohen said.

The New York Times

The purchase of DoubleClick, for a proposed $3.1 billion, has only heightened anxiety about Google.

The New Yorker

"From the moment those planes hit, there was heightened anxiety and trauma.

The New York Times

Relief — or heightened anxiety — can come with a better sense of one's genetic risk.

The New York Times - Tech

Those bombings killed hundreds, disrupted government functions and heightened anxiety across the capital.

The New York Times

This has heightened anxiety among copyright holders, who fear they will lose control of their creative vision.

The New York Times

The emergency has heightened anxiety about public health in a region where standards are bent by the local mafia.

The Economist

It is also inevitable, with or without the reported "chatter" about a possible attack, that New Yorkers would approach this weekend with a sense of heightened anxiety.

The Guardian - Opinion

Young soldiers toting M-16's, and guards who search bags at the entrance to malls and hotels create an atmosphere of calm alertness, not heightened anxiety.

The New York Times - Travel

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

CHRNA4 encodes alpha-4 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits and knockout mice show heightened anxiety-like behavior [16].

Plosone

As noted in an independent study, W sh /W sh mice exhibit heightened anxiety-like behavior.

Analytical Chemistry

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing "heightened anxiety", be specific about the causes or triggers to provide a clearer understanding of the context. For example, instead of stating "there was heightened anxiety", specify "the news caused heightened anxiety".

Common error

Avoid using "heightened anxiety" as a blanket statement without providing sufficient context or detail. Instead of saying "heightened anxiety is common", specify who is experiencing the anxiety and why.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "heightened anxiety" functions as a noun phrase, where "heightened" is an adjective modifying the noun "anxiety". Ludwig AI indicates the phrase is grammatically correct and widely used. It describes a state of increased or intensified anxiety.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

54%

Science

42%

Wiki

4%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "heightened anxiety" is a common and grammatically sound phrase used to describe an increased state of worry or unease. As indicated by Ludwig AI, the phrase is deemed correct for use in written English. Its prevalence in News & Media and Science demonstrates its versatility across various contexts, ranging from reporting on current events to discussing psychological and physiological conditions. While alternatives such as "increased apprehension" or "elevated worry" exist, "heightened anxiety" remains a direct and effective way to convey the intensification of anxious feelings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

increased apprehension

Replaces "anxiety" with "apprehension" while maintaining the sense of increased worry.

elevated worry

Substitutes "anxiety" with "worry" and "heightened" with "elevated", both indicating an increase in concern.

intensified nervousness

Replaces "anxiety" with "nervousness" and "heightened" with "intensified", suggesting a stronger feeling of unease.

exacerbated concern

Uses "concern" instead of "anxiety" and "exacerbated" in place of "heightened", implying a worsening of worry.

aggravated unease

Employs "unease" instead of "anxiety" and "aggravated" for "heightened", indicating an increase in discomfort.

amplified stress

Replaces "anxiety" with "stress" and "heightened" with "amplified", both conveying an increase in pressure.

growing distress

Substitutes "anxiety" with "distress" and uses "growing" instead of "heightened" to indicate an increase in emotional suffering.

mounting tension

Replaces "anxiety" with "tension" and uses "mounting" instead of "heightened", both suggesting an increase in strain.

increased agitation

Substitutes "anxiety" with "agitation" and "heightened" with "increased", indicating a rise in restlessness.

acute fear

Replaces "anxiety" with "fear" and "heightened" with "acute", denoting a sharp and intense feeling of worry.

FAQs

How can I use "heightened anxiety" in a sentence?

You can use "heightened anxiety" to describe a state of increased worry or unease, such as "The unexpected announcement caused "heightened anxiety" among the employees".

What are some alternatives to saying "heightened anxiety"?

You can use alternatives like "increased apprehension", "elevated worry", or "intensified nervousness" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "heightened anxiety levels"?

While grammatically correct, it can be redundant since "heightened anxiety" already implies increased levels. Using just ""heightened anxiety"" is often more concise and effective.

What's the difference between "heightened anxiety" and "general anxiety"?

"General anxiety" refers to a persistent state of worry, while ""heightened anxiety"" describes a temporary increase in anxious feelings, often triggered by a specific event or situation.