We often feel nervous, uneasy, or restless in stressful situations, and language gives us many colorful ways to describe those feelings. In this article, we explore over 30 idioms for anxious — expressions that help us better explain what anxiety looks and feels like in daily life. These idioms are often used in both casual speech and writing.
✅ 30+ Common Idioms for Anxious
1. Butterflies in my stomach
Meaning: Feeling nervous before something important.
Example: I had butterflies in my stomach before going on stage.
2. On edge
Meaning: Feeling nervous or tense.
Example: She’s been on edge all week because of her exams.
3. A bundle of nerves
Meaning: A person who is very anxious or tense.
Example: Before the job interview, he was a bundle of nerves.
4. At wit’s end
Meaning: Extremely worried or distressed.
Example: I’m at my wit’s end with all these deadlines.
5. Break out in a cold sweat
Meaning: To become nervous and start sweating.
Example: I broke out in a cold sweat just thinking about the dentist.
6. Feel the heat
Meaning: To experience pressure or stress.
Example: The manager started to feel the heat after the company’s failure.
7. Jump out of your skin
Meaning: To be extremely startled or frightened.
Example: I nearly jumped out of my skin when the phone rang.
8. On pins and needles
Meaning: Anxiously waiting for something.
Example: We were on pins and needles waiting for the doctor’s call.
9. In a flap
Meaning: Feeling nervous and confused.
Example: She got in a flap before the big meeting.
10. Losing sleep over something
Meaning: Worrying so much that it affects sleep.
Example: I’ve been losing sleep over my visa interview.
11. Shaking like a leaf
Meaning: Shivering with fear or anxiety.
Example: He was shaking like a leaf before giving his first speech.
12. Get cold feet
Meaning: Backing out of something due to anxiety.
Example: She got cold feet just before the wedding.
13. Heart in your mouth
Meaning: Feeling very scared or anxious.
Example: My heart was in my mouth during the roller coaster ride.
14. A nervous wreck
Meaning: Someone very anxious or stressed.
Example: After the accident, she became a nervous wreck.
15. Have one’s stomach in knots
Meaning: Feeling anxious or uneasy.
Example: My stomach was in knots before my test results.
16. Biting your nails
Meaning: A sign of anxiety or nervousness.
Example: He was biting his nails while waiting for his turn.
17. Wound up
Meaning: Extremely tense or anxious.
Example: She was so wound up before her driving test.
18. Lose your nerve
Meaning: To suddenly become too afraid to do something.
Example: He lost his nerve just before bungee jumping.
19. Break into a sweat
Meaning: To become very nervous or frightened.
Example: I broke into a sweat during the job interview.
20. Jump at every sound
Meaning: Be extremely nervous or startled easily.
Example: He was jumping at every sound after the break-in.
21. Walk on eggshells
Meaning: Being very careful due to tension or anxiety.
Example: We were walking on eggshells around her after the bad news.
22. In knots
Meaning: To feel tense or anxious internally.
Example: His stomach was in knots all day before the flight.
23. Sweating bullets
Meaning: Feeling extremely anxious.
Example: I was sweating bullets waiting for the results.
24. Not sitting well with someone
Meaning: Something makes someone feel uneasy.
Example: The idea of public speaking doesn’t sit well with her.
25. Goosebumps
Meaning: Raised hair on the skin due to fear or anxiety.
Example: I got goosebumps hearing that creepy sound.
26. Chewing your lip
Meaning: A nervous habit.
Example: She kept chewing her lip during the interview.
27. Tied up in knots
Meaning: Overwhelmed with anxiety.
Example: He was tied up in knots before his performance.
28. Quaking in your boots
Meaning: Extremely afraid or anxious.
Example: He was quaking in his boots when he faced the panel.
29. Freaking out
Meaning: Reacting with extreme worry or stress.
Example: I totally freaked out when I lost my passport.
30. Feeling jumpy
Meaning: Easily startled due to anxiety.
Example: She’s been feeling jumpy ever since the robbery.
31. In over your head
Meaning: Feeling anxious because something is too difficult.
Example: He was in over his head in that new job.
📝 10 Practice Sentence about Idioms for Anxious
- Before the final exam, I had __________ in my stomach.
- He was a __________ of nerves waiting for the call.
- I nearly __________ out of my skin when the bell rang.
- She was __________ bullets during her first presentation.
- My stomach was __________ knots before the flight.
- He __________ cold feet before proposing.
- I was __________ on eggshells around the angry boss.
- She became a __________ wreck after the crash.
- He started to __________ the heat at work.
- I couldn’t sleep — I kept __________ over it all night.
✅ Answers
- butterflies
- bundle
- jumped
- sweating
- in
- got
- walking
- nervous
- feel
- losing sleep
🔚 Conclusion
Using idioms for anxious allows you to describe emotions in a way that feels personal and vivid. Whether you’re describing exam fear, public speaking stress, or daily worries, these idioms help you connect with readers and listeners more naturally. Practice using them, and your communication will feel more expressive and relatable.
❓FAQs About Idioms for Anxious
1. Are idioms for anxious used in formal writing?
Not usually. They’re more common in informal speech and casual writing, but can appear in narrative or creative texts.
2. What’s the difference between “on edge” and “on pins and needles”?
“On edge” means tense or irritable; “on pins and needles” means anxious anticipation.
3. Can these idioms be used for children’s expressions?
Yes, simpler idioms like “butterflies in my stomach” are perfect for children.
4. Are idioms culturally universal?
No. Many idioms are language or culture-specific and may not translate directly.
5. Which idioms are suitable for professional settings?
Mild ones like “losing sleep over it” or “feeling the heat” can work in business emails or meetings.
