Are You Anxious or Eager?
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- On January 4, 2022
“I’m anxious for the new year to start,” said a CEO in a year-end message to employees. But he didn’t mean he was worried or uneasy, which is precisely what anxious means. Rather, he was talking enthusiastically and optimistically about the prospects for growth in the year ahead.
He meant he was eager or looking forward to the new year getting underway. To be eager for something is to be full of keen desire.
Yes, anxious-meaning-eager is creeping into usage, but experts counsel against it. To be anxious about something always has a negative connotation. And in business, where you’re usually aiming for an upbeat tone, opt for positive words. Anxious isn’t one of them.
