angst

Strong emotional pain, sadness, or inner conflict.

• His songs are full of teenage angst.
• She poured her angst into a private diary.
• The film captures the angst of a painful breakup.

Similar words: anguish, distress, torment

Common phrases: teenage angst, full of angst, emotional angst

A deep, uneasy worry, often about life or the future, without a clear cause.

• She felt a vague sense of angst.
• The novel explores existential angst and the fear of death.
• Their conversations revealed growing angst about an uncertain future.

How to use it: angst about something (His essay explores angst about the meaning of life.)

Similar words: anxiety, unease, apprehension

Opposites: peace

Common phrases: existential angst, modern angst, angst about life

Stories centered on characters’ emotional pain and difficult relationships.

• She likes reading angst about lonely characters.
• The author writes angst with hopeful endings.
• Do you prefer comedy or angst in fanfiction?

Common phrases: write angst, read angst, romance and angst

To worry deeply or spend time feeling upset about something.

• He angsted about his future.
• I spent all evening angsting over the interview.
• Why angst over what strangers think?

How to use it: angst about/over something (Stop angsting over a decision you cannot change.)

Similar words: worry, fret

Opposites: relax

Common phrases: angst about something, angst over something