3 syllables: Anx, ious, ly. Stress on Anx.
ANGK-shuh-slee
/ˈæŋkʃəsli/
Anxiously is pronounced ANGK-shuh-slee (/ˈæŋkʃəsli/). It has three syllables (Anx-ious-ly), with the stress on "Anx". Anxiously is an adverb describing a feeling of worry or unease, often with heightened alertness or anticipation. It typically modifies verbs to indicate the manner of action, such as performing something with concern or apprehension. The word signals a cognitive-state-driven behavior and is common in both spoken and written English, conveying a tense or uneasy mood.
adverbAnxiously is an adverb describing a feeling of worry or unease, often with heightened alertness or anticipation. It typically modifies verbs to indicate the manner of action, such as performing something with concern or apprehension. The word signals a cognitive-state-driven behavior and is common in both spoken and written English, conveying a tense or uneasy mood.
- Over-emphasizing the final -ly: Many learners stretch /li/ too long, making “ anxiously-” sound unnatural. Instead, keep /li/ light and quick. - Misplacing stress: Ensure primary stress on the first syllable: ANK-shuh-slee. Do not carry stress into the second syllable; this preserves natural rhythm. - Violating the consonant cluster: The /ŋk/ and /ʃ/ should be tightly connected; avoid inserting extra vowels between /ŋk/ and /ʃ/. Practice saying /æŋk.ʃ/ smoothly.
"She waited anxiously for the results, checking her email every few minutes."
"The crowd scanned the sky anxiously, hoping for clear weather."
"He answered the question anxiously, trying to sound confident."
Pronounce as /ˈæŋk.ʃəs.li/. Start with the short A as in cat, then the ŋk cluster, followed by the soft sh sound, and end with -əs-lee, placing primary stress on the first syllable. Visualize: ANK - shuh - lee. In connected speech, you can link to next word softly: ANK-shuh-lee.
Common errors include mispronouncing the initial /æ/ as a broad 'ah' (like father) and confusing the /ŋkʃ/ cluster with a simpler /nk/ or /ŋk/ sound. Another mistake is over-pronouncing the final -ly, making it 'lee' too distinctly. Corrections: keep the /æ/ short and crisp, maintain the /ŋk/ grip before /ʃ/, and reduce the final syllable to a quick, light /li/ rather than a heavy ending.
In US, UK, and AU, the main differences are vowel quality in /æ/ and the rhoticity of /r/ is irrelevant here since there is no /r/; however, US tends to be slightly tenser on /æ/ and crisper with /ɡ?/- no. The key variance is the rhythm and the flapping tendency in some US dialects around neighboring vowels in connected speech; UK tends to preserve tighter articulation of /æ/ and /ŋk/ slightly longer; AU tends toward a clipped, more uniform vowel length with less vowel reduction. Overall, the syllable count and stress remain the same.
It challenges speakers with the consonant cluster /ŋkʃ/ between two vowel sounds, plus maintaining the short /æ/ and a light /ɪ/ or /li/ ending in rapid speech. The transition from /ŋk/ to /ʃ/ requires precise tongue positioning, and the final -ly has a subtle, almost vowel-like sound that can get reduced in fast speech. Focus on a clean /æ/ initial, firm /ŋk/ grip, and a gentle /ʃ/ before the /əs.li/ ending.
A distinctive feature is the initial /æ/ followed by /ŋk/ before /ʃ/. Practice the sequence by saying ‘ank’ as in ‘bank’ but immediately slide into /ʃ/ for ‘-sh-’ without adding vowel between /ŋk/ and /ʃ/. Then finish with /əs.li/. Slower practice with tapping the syllable boundaries helps: ANK - shuh - lee.
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US: Pronounce with crisper /æ/ and slightly stronger /ɡ/? Not relevant. Emphasize non-rhoticity? US is rhotic, but this word lacks /r/. UK: Slightly sharper /æ/ and more precise /ŋk/ before /ʃ/. AU: More clipped vowels, faster tempo, similar /æ/ but less regional vowel raising. Use IPA as reference: /ˈæŋk.ʃəs.li/; keep rhotics clear if before following /r/ in other phrases.
Anxiously derives from anxious, which comes from Latin anxius meaning ‘troubled, uneasy, filled with fear.’ The root anx- expresses threat or distress, related to agitation and unrest. The suffix -ously forms adverbs in English from adjectives ending in -ous, indicating manner. The word entered Middle English through Old French anxieux and Latin anxius, carrying similar meanings of troubled mind and fear. Over time, anxiously broadened from describing internal emotional states to the way actions are performed—‘with anxiety’ or ‘in an anxious manner.’ The first known uses appear in 15th–16th century English literature, aligning with medical and psychological discourse of that era, where anxious behavior was a focal point of patient observation and moral storytelling. In modern usage, anxiously maintains the core sense of apprehension but is often pragmatic in describing day-to-day reactions to uncertain outcomes, deadlines, or potential danger.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Anxiously" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Anxiously"
-me) sounds
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