Idioms for worried are powerful tools in English to express nervousness, anxiety, or unease without directly saying someone is “worried.” These phrases bring color and personality to our language. Whether you’re writing a story, speaking in public, or describing emotions in daily conversations, using idioms can make your message clearer and more engaging.
In this article, we explore 30+ idioms that convey worry or concern, along with meanings and easy-to-understand example sentences. We’ve also included a short practice exercise and answers to help reinforce your understanding.
✅ 30+ Common Idioms for Worried
1. On edge
Meaning: Feeling tense or anxious
Sentence: She was on edge before her final exam.
2. Butterflies in the stomach
Meaning: Nervous excitement or worry
Sentence: I had butterflies in my stomach before the job interview.
3. Lose sleep over
Meaning: Worry too much about something
Sentence: Don’t lose sleep over a small mistake.
4. Nail-biter
Meaning: A situation that causes a lot of anxiety
Sentence: The last-minute goal made the match a real nail-biter.
5. A bundle of nerves
Meaning: A very nervous or worried person
Sentence: He was a bundle of nerves before the speech.
6. Have your heart in your mouth
Meaning: Feel very nervous or frightened
Sentence: My heart was in my mouth during the scary scene.
7. Sweating bullets
Meaning: Extremely nervous
Sentence: He was sweating bullets waiting for his results.
8. In a flap
Meaning: Confused and anxious
Sentence: She was in a flap after losing her keys.
9. Walking on eggshells
Meaning: Acting carefully to avoid conflict or tension
Sentence: Everyone was walking on eggshells around the angry boss.
10. Have cold feet
Meaning: Suddenly feel nervous about something you planned
Sentence: He got cold feet before the wedding.
11. On pins and needles
Meaning: In a state of nervous anticipation
Sentence: We were on pins and needles waiting for the call.
12. Break into a cold sweat
Meaning: Start sweating due to fear or worry
Sentence: He broke into a cold sweat during the interview.
13. In a stew
Meaning: Anxiously worried
Sentence: She was in a stew over the delay.
14. Not sit easy with someone
Meaning: Something makes you uncomfortable or worried
Sentence: The idea of moving abroad didn’t sit easy with her.
15. Jump out of your skin
Meaning: Get frightened or startled suddenly
Sentence: I almost jumped out of my skin when the balloon popped.
16. Pace the floor
Meaning: Walk nervously due to worry
Sentence: He paced the floor while waiting for the doctor.
17. Heart skips a beat
Meaning: Sudden shock or fear
Sentence: My heart skipped a beat when I saw the accident.
18. Have a lot on your mind
Meaning: Thinking or worrying about many things
Sentence: She didn’t smile today—maybe she has a lot on her mind.
19. Tie yourself in knots
Meaning: Worry so much that it confuses you
Sentence: He tied himself in knots over the project.
20. Worried sick
Meaning: Extremely worried
Sentence: We were worried sick when he didn’t come home.
21. Go to pieces
Meaning: Lose emotional control due to stress
Sentence: She went to pieces after hearing the bad news.
22. Not knowing which way to turn
Meaning: Feeling confused and unsure
Sentence: He didn’t know which way to turn after the job loss.
23. White as a sheet
Meaning: Pale from fear or shock
Sentence: He turned white as a sheet when he saw the bill.
24. Jumping at shadows
Meaning: Overreacting to minor things due to anxiety
Sentence: After the break-in, he started jumping at shadows.
25. Pulling your hair out
Meaning: Feeling stressed or anxious
Sentence: She was pulling her hair out over the deadline.
26. Have the jitters
Meaning: Feel nervous
Sentence: I had the jitters before the audition.
27. Scared stiff
Meaning: Extremely frightened or worried
Sentence: I was scared stiff when the lights went out.
28. Heart pounding
Meaning: Strong heartbeat due to nervousness
Sentence: My heart was pounding during the results.
29. A tight knot in the stomach
Meaning: Physical feeling of anxiety
Sentence: I felt a tight knot in my stomach before the speech.
30. Feel the pressure
Meaning: Feel stressed due to expectations
Sentence: He started feeling the pressure before the big match.
31. At your wits’ end
Meaning: Not knowing what to do due to worry
Sentence: She was at her wits’ end trying to calm the baby.
📝 Practice Sentence
- I was ________ before stepping on the stage.
- She lost her keys and was ________ all morning.
- He was ________ over his daughter’s health.
- Don’t ________ that small mistake.
- After watching the horror film, I kept ________.
- The waiting room was silent, everyone ________.
- She ________ over the presentation and couldn’t focus.
- I was ________ when my name was called.
- They were ________ when they heard the sirens.
- He ________ while waiting for the test results.
✅ Answer Key
- a bundle of nerves
- in a flap
- worried sick
- lose sleep over
- jumping at shadows
- on pins and needles
- tied herself in knots
- sweating bullets
- scared stiff
- paced the floor
🧠 Conclusion
Worry is a common feeling—but instead of simply saying “I was worried,” using idioms for worried can add emotion, color, and storytelling depth to your speech or writing. From “butterflies in the stomach” to “heart in your mouth,” these idioms let others feel the tension behind your words.
Keep practicing these idioms to make your English sound more natural and expressive.
❓FAQs about “Idioms for Worried”
1. What is an idiom for being nervous?
“On edge” and “a bundle of nerves” are commonly used idioms for feeling nervous or worried.
2. Can I use idioms in formal writing?
Use idioms in moderation. They’re great for informal writing or creative essays, but avoid too many in academic papers.
3. What’s the difference between ‘nervous’ and ‘worried’?
Nervous often relates to anticipation (before a performance), while worried involves fear of something bad happening.
4. Is “butterflies in the stomach” positive or negative?
It can be both! It shows nervous excitement—before a date or a performance.
5. Which idiom means feeling extremely scared or anxious?
“Scared stiff,” “sweating bullets,” and “white as a sheet” express strong fear or worry.
