Have you ever stayed up all night thinking about something over and over? That’s called overthinking. It happens when we think too much about one thing. Sometimes, our minds feel stuck like a spinning wheel. This can make us tired or worried. Overthinking is something many people do, even adults. It doesn’t always help. In fact, it can make things harder.
To talk about these feelings, people use special phrases called idioms. Idioms are fun and easy ways to say something without saying it directly. They help us show what we feel or think. In this article, you’ll learn idioms that describe overthinking. These expressions can help you understand others and talk about your own thoughts better. Let’s look at some examples that people use every day.
Idioms for Overthinking
1. Beat a dead horse
Meaning: To talk or think about something again and again when it’s already done.
For Example: She kept talking about her old science project like beating a dead horse. / I told him the answer, but he kept asking he was beating a dead horse.
Alternatively: Stop going over the same thing. / It’s already finished.
2. Split hairs
Meaning: To worry about tiny details that don’t really matter.
For Example: He kept splitting hairs about the size of the cookie. / She was splitting hairs on how to draw the clouds in her picture.
Alternatively: Making a big deal out of nothing. / Too picky.
3. In your own head
Meaning: Thinking too much and getting stuck in your thoughts.
For Example: I was in my own head before the spelling test. / She didn’t hear me because she was in her own head.
Alternatively: Lost in thought. / Overthinking things.
4. Make a mountain out of a molehill
Meaning: To make a small problem seem really big.
For Example: He made a mountain out of a molehill when he forgot his pencil. / That’s not a big deal don’t make a mountain out of a molehill.
Alternatively: Overreact. / Worry too much.
5. Run in circles
Meaning: To keep thinking or trying but not getting anywhere.
For Example: I ran in circles trying to pick a game to play. / She was running in circles about which dress to wear.
Alternatively: Can’t decide. / Going nowhere.
6. Overthink it
Meaning: To think about something too much and get stuck.
For Example: Don’t overthink it just choose a snack. / I overthought my answer and got it wrong.
Alternatively: Think too much. / Worry too hard.
7. Second-guess yourself
Meaning: To doubt your choices after you’ve made them.
For Example: I second-guessed myself after turning in my math sheet. / He second-guessed picking the blue crayon.
Alternatively: Doubt yourself. / Unsure after deciding.
8. Too much on your mind
Meaning: Thinking about too many things at once.
For Example: I had too much on my mind to enjoy recess. / She had too much on her mind before the big test.
Alternatively: Brain feels full. / Thinking too much.
9. Worry wart
Meaning: A person who worries too much.
For Example: Mom says I’m a worry wart about school. / He’s a worry wart about being late.
Alternatively: Always nervous. / Worries a lot.
10. Tied in knots
Meaning: Feeling very nervous or confused because of too much thinking.
For Example: I felt tied in knots before my class play. / She was tied in knots thinking about her test.
Alternatively: Super nervous. / All mixed up.
11. Jump to conclusions
Meaning: To make a decision too quickly without thinking about all the facts.
For Example: He jumped to conclusions when he saw her crying. / Don’t jump to conclusions about the movie it’s not over yet.
Alternatively: Make assumptions. / Guess too quickly.
12. Stew over it
Meaning: To think about something for too long and get upset.
For Example: I was stewing over my friend’s comment all day. / She’s stewing over the grade she got on her test.
Alternatively: Overthink. / Stay upset about something small.
13. Go around in circles
Meaning: To keep repeating the same thing without making progress.
For Example: I went around in circles trying to figure out the puzzle. / They were going around in circles about which movie to watch.
Alternatively: No progress. / Keep repeating yourself.
14. Ruminate on it
Meaning: To think deeply about something for a long time.
For Example: He was still ruminating on the joke hours later. / I can’t stop ruminating about what she said.
Alternatively: Keep thinking. / Overanalyze.
15. Be a broken record
Meaning: To repeat the same thing over and over.
For Example: She’s like a broken record, always talking about the same problem. / Stop being a broken record get to the point!
Alternatively: Keep repeating. / Say the same thing.
16. Get lost in thought
Meaning: To become so focused on your thinking that you forget what’s around you.
For Example: He got lost in thought during the meeting. / I got lost in thought while waiting for my turn.
Alternatively: Daydream. / Not paying attention.
17. Overanalyze
Meaning: To think about something too much and make it more complicated than it needs to be.
For Example: She overanalyzed every word in the book. / Don’t overanalyze the problem just solve it!
Alternatively: Make things harder. / Think too deeply.
18. Be in a loop
Meaning: To keep thinking the same thoughts without getting out of them.
For Example: He’s stuck in a loop about how to organize his room. / I’ve been in a loop thinking about the test.
Alternatively: Keep repeating thoughts. / Going around the same idea.
19. Spin your wheels
Meaning: To try hard but not make any progress.
For Example: I was spinning my wheels trying to finish my homework quickly. / He kept spinning his wheels trying to fix the bike.
Alternatively: Getting nowhere. / Wasting time.
20. Have a lot on your plate
Meaning: To have too many things to think about or do.
For Example: She had a lot on her plate with her school projects. / I can’t think straight; I have too much on my plate today.
Alternatively: Too much to do. / Overloaded.
21. Lose sleep over it
Meaning: To stay up worrying about something.
For Example: I lost sleep over the big math test. / Don’t lose sleep over your speech you’ll do fine.
Alternatively: Worry too much. / Stress at night.
22. See things through a magnifying glass
Meaning: To focus too much on small details.
For Example: She sees things through a magnifying glass when planning parties. / Stop looking at everything through a magnifying glass!
Alternatively: Overfocus. / Too detailed.
23. Put the cart before the horse
Meaning: To do things in the wrong order because you’re thinking ahead too much.
For Example: Don’t put the cart before the horse finish your homework first. / She put the cart before the horse by buying decorations before planning the party.
Alternatively: Do things wrong. / Think out of order.
24. Blow things out of proportion
Meaning: To make something seem worse or bigger than it really is.
For Example: He blew the argument out of proportion. / Stop blowing things out of proportion; it’s just a mistake.
Alternatively: Overreact. / Make a big deal.
25. Keep thinking it over
Meaning: To keep rethinking a decision instead of making it.
For Example: He kept thinking it over and couldn’t decide which game to play. / She’s been thinking it over all day whether to go to the party.
Alternatively: Keep rethinking. / Can’t decide.
26. Read between the lines
Meaning: To look for deeper meaning or clues that aren’t obvious.
For Example: Don’t read between the lines it’s just a simple question. / He read between the lines of the note and found out what she meant.
Alternatively: Look for hidden meaning. / Think too much into it.
27. Make something out of nothing
Meaning: To create a problem or worry from something small.
For Example: She made something out of nothing when she thought I was mad at her. / Don’t make something out of nothing just relax.
Alternatively: Overdramatize. / Worry too much.
28. Beat yourself up
Meaning: To be too hard on yourself for something that isn’t a big deal.
For Example: He’s beating himself up over a small mistake in his project. / Don’t beat yourself up over forgetting one thing.
Alternatively: Feel bad about it. / Be too harsh on yourself.
29. Overcomplicate things
Meaning: To make something more difficult than it really is.
For Example: She tends to overcomplicate simple math problems. / Don’t overcomplicate it; the solution is easy!
Alternatively: Make harder. / Add unnecessary steps.
30. Go down a rabbit hole
Meaning: To start thinking about something deeply and end up far from where you started.
For Example: I went down a rabbit hole looking up facts for my report. / He went down a rabbit hole thinking about his test score.
Alternatively: Get lost in thoughts. / Overthink.
31. Twist yourself in knots
Meaning: To confuse yourself by overthinking.
For Example: I twisted myself in knots trying to explain it to him. / She twisted herself in knots about the upcoming event.
Alternatively: Confuse yourself. / Overthink too much.
32. Be a mind reader
Meaning: To try to figure out what others are thinking without asking them.
For Example: He’s trying to be a mind reader by guessing what I want for my birthday. / Stop being a mind reader and just ask me!
Alternatively: Guess someone’s thoughts. / Think for others.
33. Drive yourself crazy
Meaning: To get so frustrated by overthinking that it feels overwhelming.
For Example: He’s driving himself crazy over a small mistake. / I’m going to drive myself crazy thinking about what happened.
Alternatively: Stress yourself out. / Overworry.
34. Be stuck in a loop
Meaning: To keep thinking the same thoughts over and over.
For Example: I’m stuck in a loop thinking about my test results. / She’s stuck in a loop over her project.
Alternatively: Keep repeating thoughts. / No new ideas.
35. Analyze something to death
Meaning: To think about something too much until it doesn’t make sense anymore.
For Example: Stop analyzing it to death it’s just a snack! / I tend to analyze things to death, and it doesn’t help.
Alternatively: Think too much. / Overdo it.
36. Let it stew
Meaning: To keep thinking about something that bothers you.
For Example: She let it stew for days after the argument. / Don’t let it stew talk to them about it.
Alternatively: Stay upset. / Think about it too long.
37. Worry about the small stuff
Meaning: To focus too much on little details instead of the bigger picture.
For Example: Don’t worry about the small stuff. The party is going great! / He worries about the small stuff like the color of his shoes.
Alternatively: Focus on tiny things. / Stress over little problems.
38. Have a never-ending thought cycle
Meaning: To keep going over the same thoughts repeatedly.
For Example: I had a never-ending thought cycle about the homework. / Her mind was in a never-ending thought cycle about the test.
Alternatively: No end to thinking. / Repeating the same ideas.
39. Mind in a whirl
Meaning: To feel like your thoughts are spinning and out of control.
For Example: My mind was in a whirl after the long meeting. / Her mind was in a whirl trying to choose a movie.
Alternatively: Feeling dizzy in thought. / Mixed-up thoughts.
40. Think the worst
Meaning: To always assume something bad will happen.
For Example: He always thinks the worst will happen, even when things are going well. / Don’t think the worst about your test. You studied hard!
Alternatively: Expect bad things. / Assume the worst.
True/False Quiz: Idioms for Overthinking
Instructions: Read each sentence. Decide if it’s True or False based on what you learned about idioms for overthinking.
- If someone is “lost in thought,” they are paying close attention to everything around them.
True / False - Saying “mind is racing” means your brain is moving slowly and calmly.
True / False - When you “go down a rabbit hole,” you get deeply stuck in too many thoughts.
True / False - If a person has “analysis paralysis,” they are doing things quickly without thinking.
True / False - Saying “you’re reading too much into it” means you are thinking too hard about something simple.
True / False - “Drowning in thoughts” means you are feeling happy and relaxed.
True / False - If someone says they have “too many tabs open,” they might be thinking about a lot at the same time.
True / False - When you “tie yourself in knots,” you’re feeling confused from overthinking.
True / False - Having a “mind maze” means your thoughts feel clear and easy.
True / False - “Overthinking it” means you are thinking too much and making things harder.
True / False
Answer Key
- False
- False
- True
- False
- True
- False
- True
- 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
Overthinking can make our minds feel busy and tired. But idioms help us talk about these feelings in fun and simple ways. Phrases like “lost in thought” or “mind is racing” show how thinking too much can affect us.
When we learn these idioms, we understand our own feelings better. We also understand what others are going through. Keep using these idioms in your daily life. They can help you speak and write in more interesting ways.
