Describing a situation, object, or person that is heavily burdened by or evokes feelings of anxiety, worry, fear, or apprehension. It signifies a state of being filled with or causing significant emotional distress related to potential threats, uncertainties, or negative outcomes. The 'laden' aspect emphasizes a substantial presence of anxiety, suggesting it permeates the subject. It suggests a stressful environment or circumstance that is prone to causing heightened levels of unease, discomfort, or fear, impacting thoughts, behaviors, and physical states. This implies a sense of emotional weight or burden associated with the experience. The source of this anxiety can be internal or external, and its manifestation can be subtle or overt, impacting a person's psychological state.
Anxiety-laden meaning with examples
- The exam room, hushed and dimly lit, was an anxiety-laden environment for the students. Pressure of performance felt incredibly high. Every rustle of paper and whispered cough amplified the collective tension that hung in the air, making it hard for me to concentrate.
- Her daily commute on the overcrowded subway, packed shoulder-to-shoulder, was consistently an anxiety-laden experience. Each delay, each jostle of the crowd was filled with thoughts about how late she would be, adding to the overall stress.
- The political debate was an anxiety-laden affair. The constant barrage of accusations, misinformation, and harsh rhetoric left many viewers feeling unsettled, fearing a future filled with strife and instability.
- Preparing for the presentation filled my thoughts with worries, leading to the anxiety-laden anticipation that made sleeping difficult. Images of stumbling over my words, of the audience's cold stare, were the recurring theme.
- His hospital visit, surrounded by sterile smells and the echo of medical equipment, became an anxiety-laden ordeal. Waiting for the test results intensified his worry about potential health problems. Everything seemed to point to the worst.