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Definitions

in a state

ADJECTIVE
anxious
Synonyms
STRONGEST
afraid apprehensive careful concerned distressed fearful fidgety jittery nervous restless scared uneasy uptight
WEAK
aghast antsy basket case bugged butterflies choked clutched disquieted disturbed dreading fretful hacked hyper in a tizzy in suspense jumpy nervy overwrought shaking shaky shivery shook-up shot to pieces solicitous spooked strung-out sweating bullets taut troubled unglued unquiet watchful wired worried sick wreck
Antonyms
STRONGEST
bold brave calm collected composed confident cool courageous happy inattentive quiet unafraid unconcerned unfearful unworried
WEAK
assured content indifferent peaceful tranqil unwilling
ADJECTIVE
overwrought
Synonyms
STRONGEST
frantic
WEAK
affected agitated all shook up beside oneself crazy distracted emotional excitable fired-up flipped-out freaked-out histrionic histrionical hot under collar hot-and-bothered hyper nervous neurotic on edge overexcited overstrung overworked spent steamed up stirred strung-out tense tired uneasy unstrung uptight weary wired worked-up worn wound-up
Antonyms
WEAK
calm collected cool rested unruffled
ADJECTIVE
strained
Synonyms
STRONGEST
constrained labored stiff tense tight uneasy
STRONG
choked embarrassed put wired wreck
WEAK
artificial at end of rope awkward difficult false farfetched hard put nervous wreck self-conscious strung-out taut uncomfortable unglued unnatural unrelaxed uptight
Antonyms
STRONGEST
calm comfortable easy easygoing laid-back loose relaxed slack
WEAK
genuine unforced

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"The global climate is in a state of emergency. Planet Earth is being pushed beyond its limits. Every key climate indicator is flashing red," said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

From Barron's • Mar. 23, 2026

Even in a state like Texas that has no state income taxes, you’ll end up paying 37% in federal taxes, leaving you with $63 million a year.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 18, 2026

“Mankind from the view of a biologist,” he writes, “is an animal species in a state of arrested differentiation and possible readmixture.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

But, when the family examined the body after it arrived in Mexico on March 24, 2024, they discovered it was in a state of “notorious and advanced decomposition.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026

Dozens of well-respected newspapers ran stories, some entirely fabricated, “the bodies of Sir John Franklin and his men have been found by Dr. Kane’s party, completely frozen, and in a state of perfect preservation.”

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock