public anxiety
nounUK /ˈpʌblɪk æŋˈzaɪəti/
US /ˈpʌblɪk æŋˈzaɪəti/
A worried feeling that many people share about something happening in the world.
There was a lot of public anxiety about the new school rules.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. The nervous feeling a person gets when speaking or performing in front of a crowd.
His public anxiety made him shake before the class speech.
3. A general mood of fear in a society about a danger or problem.
News reports caused public anxiety about the storm.
4. The worry people feel about how others see them in public places.
She felt public anxiety when walking into a crowded room.