anxiety attack

noun

plural anxiety attacks

: a sudden feeling or episode of anxiety

specifically : an episode of mild to severe worry, distress, or fear that may last for hours or days, is typically preceded by a period of gradually increasing levels of fear and worry (such as that associated with a perceived stressor or threat), and that has symptoms (such as increased heart rate and shortness of breath) similar to but often less intense than those associated with a panic attack

… the odds of coming across someone in college having an anxiety attack are fairly high.

—Alisa Patience

The mention of any political figure in the vicinity of my dining room table is enough to induce an anxiety attack.

—Anna Little

I remember getting ready to do the buffet scene on the lawn, and for some reason I got an anxiety attack. I could hardly move. I was terrified.

—Jack Nicholson

Examples of anxiety attack in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The after-effects of an anxiety attack (expletive) suck. —Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY, 18 Nov. 2024

Signs of psychiatric distress, such as an anxiety attack or hallucinations, could also indicate a psychiatric cause of this symptom. —Michael Menna, Verywell Health, 28 Oct. 2024

This strident, 61-second anxiety attack of a song has nearly 400 million plays on Spotify alone. —Elias Leight, Billboard, 15 Oct. 2024

Not working through a traumatic experience means stress can manifest psychologically through responses like anxiety attacks, flashbacks, or nightmares. —Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 1 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

probably after German Angstanfall or Angstattacke

First Known Use

1911, in the meaning defined above