anxious

Compared meaning: feeling concerned or nervous about something (adjective).

比较义项：因某事而感到担心、不安（形容词）。

• worried

  The most common, neutral word for feeling concern about someone or something specific; used in everyday speech about ordinary problems, big or small.

  最常见、中性的词，表示对某人或某事感到担心；用于日常口语，大小问题都能用。

  Mom was worried when I didn't call to say I got home safely.

  妈妈担心，因为我到家后没有打电话报平安。

• troubled

  Suggests deeper or more prolonged distress, often caused by something serious, confusing or morally difficult; more formal and literary than worried.

  表示更深或更持久的烦恼，往往由严重、令人困惑或道德上棘手的事情引起；比worried更正式、更书面化。

  He grew troubled after learning his business partner had lied to him for months.

  得知生意伙伴欺骗了他好几个月后，他变得烦恼不已。

• anxious 本词

  Emphasizes nervous anticipation about a future or uncertain event, often with physical unease like inability to relax or sleep.

  强调对未来或不确定事件的紧张期待，常伴有难以放松、难以入睡等身体上的不安。

  She felt anxious for days before the results of her medical test came back.

  在体检结果出来之前，她焦虑了好几天。

• uneasy

  Describes a vague, instinctive feeling that something is wrong, often without a clear or identifiable cause.

  表示一种模糊的、本能的不对劲的感觉，往往说不出明确的原因。

  He felt uneasy the moment he stepped into the empty house, though nothing seemed wrong.

  他一踏进那栋空房子就感到不安，尽管看起来一切正常。

All four describe feeling concerned. Worried is the most common, neutral word for any concern. Troubled suggests deeper, more formal distress, often from something serious. Anxious stresses nervous anticipation about the future, often with unease. Uneasy is a vague, instinctive feeling that something is wrong.

这四个词在表示因某事而感到担心、不安时意义相近，但语气和使用场合有差异：worried最口语化，troubled程度更深、更正式，anxious强调对未来的紧张期待，uneasy则是说不出明确原因的隐隐不安。这里不比较troubled表示“问题重重”（如troubled childhood）的用法，也不比较anxious表示“急切渴望”（如anxious to help）的用法。

Compared meaning: wanting something eagerly or urgently (adjective).

比较义项：渴望、急切地想做某事或希望某事发生（形容词）。

• eager

  The plainest and most positive of the three, expressing pure enthusiasm with no hint of worry or irritation; commonly used before an infinitive, e.g. eager to help.

  三词中语气最平实、最积极的一个，只表达纯粹的热情，不带紧张或不耐烦的意味；常用于不定式之前，如eager to help（渴望帮忙）。

  The new employee was eager to learn everything about the job.

  这位新员工渴望学习工作中的一切。

• anxious 本词

  Adds a note of nervous urgency to the eagerness, as if the person is not fully at ease about the outcome; often followed by 'to' plus a verb, e.g. anxious to please.

  在渴望之外还带有一丝紧张、对结果并不完全放心的意味；后面常接“to”加动词，如anxious to please（渴望讨好）。

  She was anxious to make a good impression on her first day.

  她渴望在上班第一天给人留下好印象。

• impatient

  Focuses on the restlessness caused by waiting, implying the delay itself is hard to bear; often followed by 'for' plus a noun or 'to' plus a verb, e.g. impatient for the results.

  侧重于因等待而产生的坐立不安，暗示等待本身令人难以忍受；后面常接“for”加名词或“to”加动词，如impatient for the results（急切盼望结果）。

  The children grew impatient waiting for the bus to arrive.

  孩子们等公交车等得不耐烦了。

These three describe strong wanting, with different feelings. Eager is the plainest and most positive, pure enthusiasm, often before 'to' plus a verb. Anxious adds nervous worry about the outcome. Impatient focuses on restlessness from waiting, as if the delay is hard to bear.

这三个词都表示强烈的渴望或急切，但语气强弱和感情色彩不同：eager纯粹表达热情期待，语气积极，不带负面情绪；anxious在渴望之外还带一丝紧张、担心结果的意味；impatient强调因等待而产生的坐立不安，暗示等待本身令人难以忍受。这里不比较anxious表示“焦虑、担心”（如anxious about the exam）的义项。