Anxiety is something that many people experience at different times in life. It can happen when you feel nervous, worried, or even fearful. When people want to talk about how they’re feeling anxious, they often use special phrases called idioms. Idioms are expressions that don’t always make sense if you look at the words individually, but they help convey emotions clearly and quickly.
In this article, you will learn 40 idioms related to feeling anxious. These idioms can help you better understand how people talk about their nervous or worried feelings. You will also see examples to show how these phrases are used in everyday conversations. Knowing these idioms can also help you express your feelings more clearly when you’re feeling anxious.
Idioms for Anxious
1. On edge
Meaning: Feeling nervous or easily upset.
For Example: I felt on edge before my big test. / She was on edge during the thunderstorm.
Alternatively: Jumpy / Restless
2. Butterflies in your stomach
Meaning: Feeling nervous or excited, usually before something big.
For Example: I had butterflies in my stomach before the school play. / She got butterflies in her stomach before the first day of school.
Alternatively: Nervous / Anxious
3. Nervous wreck
Meaning: Feeling very anxious or upset.
For Example: I was a nervous wreck before my soccer game. / He was a nervous wreck before his job interview.
Alternatively: Very anxious / Very worried
4. Sweating bullets
Meaning: Feeling very nervous, often causing you to sweat.
For Example: I was sweating bullets before speaking in front of the class. / He was sweating bullets before his dentist appointment.
Alternatively: Nervous / Anxious
5. Bite your nails
Meaning: To show nervousness by chewing on your nails.
For Example: She always bites her nails before a test. / I was biting my nails while waiting for the results.
Alternatively: Nervous / Worried
6. Heart in your throat
Meaning: Feeling very nervous, as if your heart is going to jump out of your chest.
For Example: My heart was in my throat when I saw the surprise quiz. / His heart was in his throat before the basketball game.
Alternatively: Anxious / Nervous
7. Like a cat on a hot tin roof
Meaning: Feeling restless and unable to relax because of nervousness.
For Example: He was like a cat on a hot tin roof during the whole meeting. / I felt like a cat on a hot tin roof before my first piano recital.
Alternatively: Anxious / Restless
8. Walking on eggshells
Meaning: Being very careful not to upset someone, often because you are nervous.
For Example: I was walking on eggshells around my teacher after I forgot my homework. / He was walking on eggshells because he didn’t want to upset his friend.
Alternatively: Cautious / Nervous
9. Tighten up
Meaning: To become stiff or nervous, often in a stressful situation.
For Example: I tightened up during the math test. / She tightened up when the teacher asked her a question.
Alternatively: Nervous / Stiff
10. In a cold sweat
Meaning: Feeling nervous or scared, often with physical signs like sweating.
For Example: I was in a cold sweat before the final exam. / She was in a cold sweat after hearing her name called at the assembly.
Alternatively: Anxious / Nervous
11. Get the jitters
Meaning: To feel nervous or anxious, especially before an event.
For Example: I got the jitters before my birthday party. / She got the jitters before speaking at the school assembly.
Alternatively: Nervous / Anxious
12. All wound up
Meaning: Feeling very tense or anxious.
For Example: I was all wound up before my big game. / He was all wound up because his team was losing.
Alternatively: Tense / Nervous
13. Freak out
Meaning: To become very anxious or upset, often suddenly.
For Example: I freaked out when I saw the surprise quiz. / She freaked out when she couldn’t find her phone.
Alternatively: Panic / Get upset
14. Pacing back and forth
Meaning: Walking around in a nervous or anxious way.
For Example: I was pacing back and forth while waiting for my test results. / She was pacing back and forth before the game.
Alternatively: Restless / Nervous
15. Like a deer caught in the headlights
Meaning: To feel scared or unsure, not knowing what to do.
For Example: I felt like a deer caught in the headlights when the teacher called on me. / He looked like a deer caught in the headlights during the presentation.
Alternatively: Nervous / Confused
16. Churning stomach
Meaning: Feeling anxious or nervous, often with an upset stomach.
For Example: I had a churning stomach before my first test. / Her stomach was churning before the school dance.
Alternatively: Nervous / Anxious
17. Worried sick
Meaning: To be extremely anxious or concerned about something.
For Example: My mom was worried sick when I didn’t come home on time. / I was worried sick about my missing homework.
Alternatively: Extremely anxious / Very worried
18. Feeling the pressure
Meaning: To feel nervous because of a big responsibility or expectation.
For Example: I was feeling the pressure before the big test. / She was feeling the pressure during the school play.
Alternatively: Nervous / Stressed
19. Tense as a drum
Meaning: To feel extremely nervous or anxious.
For Example: My muscles were tense as a drum before the race. / He was tense as a drum when he heard his name called.
Alternatively: Tense / Nervous
20. Out of sorts
Meaning: To feel upset, anxious, or not quite right.
For Example: I felt out of sorts before my dentist appointment. / He was out of sorts because he was nervous about the trip.
Alternatively: Not right / Unsettled
21. Like a fish out of water
Meaning: Feeling uncomfortable or out of place because of nervousness.
For Example: I felt like a fish out of water during my first day at a new school. / He felt like a fish out of water at his new job.
Alternatively: Uncomfortable / Nervous
22. Biting your lip
Meaning: Trying to hold back nervousness or emotion.
For Example: She was biting her lip while waiting for her results. / I was biting my lip to keep from crying after the test.
Alternatively: Holding back / Nervous
23. Rattled
Meaning: To feel nervous or unsettled.
For Example: I was rattled before the big presentation. / She felt rattled when she forgot her lines in the play.
Alternatively: Nervous / Unsettled
24. Breaking out in a cold sweat
Meaning: Feeling nervous or scared to the point of sweating.
For Example: I was breaking out in a cold sweat before my final exam. / He was breaking out in a cold sweat before meeting his coach.
Alternatively: Nervous / Anxious
25. Tight as a drum
Meaning: Feeling tense or very anxious.
For Example: My body was tight as a drum before the test. / She felt tight as a drum during the interview.
Alternatively: Tense / Nervous
26. Jumpy
Meaning: Easily startled or nervous.
For Example: I was jumpy when I heard a loud noise during the test. / She was jumpy because of the thunderstorm.
Alternatively: Nervous / Anxious
27. A bundle of nerves
Meaning: Feeling very nervous, often in a way that makes you feel shaky.
For Example: I was a bundle of nerves before the concert. / She felt like a bundle of nerves before the game.
Alternatively: Nervous / Anxious
28. Like a ticking time bomb
Meaning: To feel nervous and like something might happen at any moment.
For Example: He was like a ticking time bomb before the big event. / She felt like a ticking time bomb before her speech.
Alternatively: Anxious / Nervous
29. In a frenzy
Meaning: Feeling very anxious and unable to focus.
For Example: I was in a frenzy when I couldn’t find my homework. / She was in a frenzy before her math test.
Alternatively: Anxious / Nervous
30. Shaking like a leaf
Meaning: To tremble because of nervousness or fear.
For Example: I was shaking like a leaf before the performance. / She was shaking like a leaf when the teacher asked her to speak.
Alternatively: Nervous / Anxious
31. Feel the heat
Meaning: To feel nervous or stressed due to pressure.
For Example: I felt the heat before my game. / He felt the heat during his job interview.
Alternatively: Pressure / Nervous
32. Under the weather
Meaning: Feeling nervous or not well due to stress.
For Example: I was feeling under the weather before the big test. / She was feeling under the weather before her doctor’s appointment.
Alternatively: Unwell / Nervous
33. In a panic
Meaning: To feel very anxious and worried.
For Example: I was in a panic when I lost my keys. / He was in a panic because he forgot about the assignment.
Alternatively: Anxious / Nervous
34. In a spin
Meaning: Feeling dizzy or confused due to nervousness.
For Example: I was in a spin before my performance. / She was in a spin when she heard the surprise announcement.
Alternatively: Confused / Anxious
35. Like a rabbit caught in headlights
Meaning: Feeling trapped and unable to act because of nervousness.
For Example: He was like a rabbit caught in headlights when the teacher asked him a question. / She was like a rabbit caught in headlights when she forgot her lines.
Alternatively: Nervous / Trapped
36. Twisted up in knots
Meaning: Feeling very anxious or nervous.
For Example: I was twisted up in knots before my job interview. / She felt twisted up in knots before the speech.
Alternatively: Nervous / Anxious
37. Having a meltdown
Meaning: Losing control due to nervousness or stress.
For Example: I had a meltdown when I realized I missed the bus. / She had a meltdown when her phone broke.
Alternatively: Overreacting / Anxious
38. Like a storm brewing
Meaning: Feeling a build-up of nervous energy or stress.
For Example: I felt like a storm brewing before the test results. / She was like a storm brewing before her meeting with the teacher.
Alternatively: Tense / Anxious
39. Under a cloud
Meaning: Feeling nervous or anxious due to uncertainty.
For Example: I felt under a cloud before the school project deadline. / She was under a cloud after the argument.
Alternatively: Nervous / Anxious
40. In the hot seat
Meaning: Feeling nervous because you are in a difficult or uncomfortable position.
For Example: I was in the hot seat during my speech. / He felt in the hot seat when the teacher asked him a question.
Alternatively: Uncomfortable / Nervous
True/False Quiz: Idioms for Anxious
Here’s the quiz to test your understanding of idioms related to feeling anxious:
- If someone has “butterflies in their stomach,” it means they feel calm and relaxed.
True / False - “Sweating bullets” means feeling very nervous or anxious.
True / False - If you are “walking on eggshells,” it means you are feeling relaxed and carefree.
True / False - “Like a deer caught in the headlights” describes someone who is feeling confident and relaxed.
True / False - “Tight as a drum” means you are feeling very tense or anxious.
True / False - If someone is “shaking like a leaf,” they are calm and peaceful.
True / False - “Biting your nails” is an idiom used when someone is feeling brave and fearless.
True / False - “Like a fish out of water” describes feeling uncomfortable or out of place.
True / False - If someone is “in the hot seat,” they are feeling relaxed and easygoing.
True / False - “Feeling the pressure” means you are feeling stressed or nervous due to high expectations.
True / False
Answer Key
- False
- True
- False
- False
- True
- False
- False
- True
- False
- True
Scoring Guide
- 10 Correct Answers: Idioms Master!
- 7–9 Correct Answers: You really get Idioms nice work!
- 4–6 Correct Answers: You’re learning, keep going!
- 0–3 Correct Answers: Let’s learn about Idioms together!
Conclusion
Anxiety is a common feeling that we all experience at times. Whether it’s before a big test, presentation, or meeting someone new, we often use idioms to express how anxious we feel. Learning these idioms can help you understand others better and also describe your feelings more clearly.
By using idioms, you can speak in a way that is both fun and relatable, making it easier to share your nervous moments with friends and family. Keep practicing these expressions, and soon you’ll be using them confidently in your everyday conversations.
