Description: This paper discusses research on social anxiety and word use. Language provides insight into individuals' perceptions, needs, and desires. Stress has been shown to influence an individual's self-presentation to others, and in the current study, the impact of stress on language was examined. Ninety-four participants completed a stressful speech about the body part that they liked the least. The results indicated that as state anxiety levels increased in males, the use of social related words and references to others increased. This relationship between language use and state anxiety levels was not found in females. These results conflict with current theories of gender differences and coping with stress.