Be Anxious To Do vs. Anxious About Something
Cambridge directly records anxious about + noun and anxious + to-infinitive, with a useful meaning contrast between worry and eagerness.
Use “anxious about something” for worry or nervousness concerning a situation. Cambridge also records “anxious to do something” for strong eagerness or desire to act.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning | Pattern | Use |
|---|---|---|
| eager/strongly wanting to act | anxious + to-infinitive | anxious to begin |
| worried/nervous concerning a situation | anxious about + noun/-ing | anxious about the result |
Quick tests
Meaning test
Does “anxious” mean eager to act, or worried/nervous about a situation?
If yes: For the documented eagerness sense, use “anxious to + verb.”
If no: For worry concerning a thing or situation, use “anxious about + complement.”
Caveat: Because “anxious” can carry both eagerness and worry senses, the complement helps signal the intended meaning but context still matters.
Examples
The team was anxious to begin.
The to-infinitive expresses strong eagerness or desire to act.
The team was anxious about the result.
“About” introduces the situation causing worry.
She was anxious about missing the train.
The -ing complement names the worried-about possibility.
Further guidance
Core difference
Cambridge documents anxious about + noun for concern and anxious + to-infinitive for eagerness or strong desire.
Style Boundary
Do not flatten the two constructions into interchangeable complements: Cambridge distinguishes their typical senses.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Anxious (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Direct learner-dictionary evidence for anxious about + noun and anxious + to-infinitive.