Everyone feels anxious sometimes. It might happen before a test, when meeting new people, or during a big change. Anxiety is a nervous feeling that can make your heart race, your hands shake, or your thoughts get messy. It can feel scary, but it’s something many people experience. Knowing how to talk about these feelings helps us understand them better.
Idioms are special phrases that don’t always mean exactly what the words say. People use idioms to talk about feelings in a fun and creative way. Idioms for anxiety describe how it feels when someone is nervous or scared. They can make it easier to share how you feel with others. In this article, you’ll learn 45 idioms for anxiety. Each one comes with an easy meaning, examples, and a fun fact. Let’s begin learning these helpful phrases.
Idioms for Anxiety
1. On edge
Meaning: Feeling nervous or ready to react.
Example Sentence:
• I was on edge before my school play.
• Mom seemed on edge while waiting for the doctor’s call.
Other ways to say: Nervous, jumpy
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of being so tense you’re like a knife on its edge.
Usage: When someone is very nervous or stressed.
2. Bundle of nerves
Meaning: Extremely anxious or scared.
Example Sentence:
• She was a bundle of nerves before her first piano recital.
• He’s a bundle of nerves during thunderstorms.
Other ways to say: Very nervous, super shaky
Fun Fact/Origin: It compares a person to a tangled bunch of nervous feelings.
Usage: Used when someone is full of anxiety.
3. Butterflies in the stomach
Meaning: Feeling nervous in your belly.
Example Sentence:
• I had butterflies in my stomach before my test.
• She always gets butterflies before a big game.
Other ways to say: Nervous belly, tummy jitters
Fun Fact/Origin: It’s like fluttering feelings in your stomach when you’re worried.
Usage: When you’re slightly nervous before something important.
4. Break out in a cold sweat
Meaning: Get very nervous or scared suddenly.
Example Sentence:
• I broke out in a cold sweat when I forgot my homework.
• He breaks out in a cold sweat before giving speeches.
Other ways to say: Panic, get really nervous
Fun Fact/Origin: When scared, your body sweats even if you feel cold.
Usage: When fear or worry hits hard.
5. Lose your cool
Meaning: To become too worried or upset.
Example Sentence:
• I lost my cool when I couldn’t find my dog.
• She lost her cool during the math test.
Other ways to say: Get upset, freak out
Fun Fact/Origin: “Cool” means calm. Losing it means losing calmness.
Usage: When someone gets too upset to think clearly.
6. Have a meltdown
Meaning: To panic or break down from stress.
Example Sentence:
• He had a meltdown after too much homework.
• I had a meltdown when I lost my tablet.
Other ways to say: Break down, lose control
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from machines overheating—like our brains under stress.
Usage: When someone becomes overwhelmed.
7. At your wits’ end
Meaning: Feeling like you can’t take it anymore.
Example Sentence:
• I was at my wits’ end trying to finish my project.
• She was at her wits’ end waiting for her brother.
Other ways to say: Frustrated, can’t handle more
Fun Fact/Origin: “Wits” means thinking. It means you’ve run out of ideas.
Usage: When someone is super frustrated or worried.
8. Sweating bullets
Meaning: Sweating a lot from nervousness.
Example Sentence:
• I was sweating bullets before my spelling bee.
• He sweats bullets before visiting the dentist.
Other ways to say: Really nervous, sweating from worry
Fun Fact/Origin: It means sweating as much as big drops like bullets.
Usage: When anxiety makes you sweat a lot.
9. Feel your heart in your throat
Meaning: So anxious it feels like your heart is jumping.
Example Sentence:
• I felt my heart in my throat when the teacher called my name.
• She felt her heart in her throat before opening her report card.
Other ways to say: Super nervous, scared stiff
Fun Fact/Origin: Fear can make your chest feel tight, like your heart is moving up.
Usage: When something sudden makes you nervous.
10. Shaking like a leaf
Meaning: Trembling from fear or worry.
Example Sentence:
• I was shaking like a leaf before my shot.
• He shook like a leaf during the storm.
Other ways to say: Trembling, really scared
Fun Fact/Origin: Leaves shake easily, like a scared person.
Usage: When someone is really scared or nervous.
11. Get cold feet
Meaning: To feel nervous and want to back out.
Example Sentence:
• I got cold feet before going on stage.
• She got cold feet before joining the soccer team.
Other ways to say: Back out, lose courage
Fun Fact/Origin: This comes from how people feel cold when scared.
Usage: When someone gets too nervous to do something.
12. Jump out of your skin
Meaning: To be very startled or scared.
Example Sentence:
• I jumped out of my skin when the balloon popped.
• He almost jumped out of his skin during the scary movie.
Other ways to say: Get scared suddenly, be startled
Fun Fact/Origin: It means being so shocked you feel like your body jumped.
Usage: When fear comes quickly and strongly.
13. Feel like a deer in headlights
Meaning: To freeze from fear or surprise.
Example Sentence:
• I felt like a deer in headlights when the teacher asked me a question.
• She stood like a deer in headlights when the alarm rang.
Other ways to say: Freeze, get stunned
Fun Fact/Origin: Deer often freeze when they see headlights at night.
Usage: When someone is too shocked or scared to move.
14. Bite your nails
Meaning: To feel nervous or worried.
Example Sentence:
• I always bite my nails before big tests.
• He was biting his nails while waiting for the game to start.
Other ways to say: Worry a lot, be nervous
Fun Fact/Origin: Biting nails is a common habit when anxious.
Usage: When someone shows signs of being worried.
15. A nail-biter
Meaning: A very tense or nervous situation.
Example Sentence:
• The game was a nail-biter until the last second.
• Watching that movie was a real nail-biter!
Other ways to say: Very tense, edge-of-your-seat
Fun Fact/Origin: From the idea that nervous people bite nails during stress.
Usage: When something makes you feel very nervous.
16. Jump the gun
Meaning: To act too quickly because of anxiety.
Example Sentence:
• I jumped the gun and turned in my test early.
• She jumped the gun and shouted before hearing the full story.
Other ways to say: Rush, act too soon
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from races where runners start before the gun fires.
Usage: When someone acts quickly out of nervousness.
17. Nerves of steel (opposite meaning)
Meaning: To stay calm when others are anxious.
Example Sentence:
• She had nerves of steel during the fire drill.
• He kept cool with nerves of steel during the storm.
Other ways to say: Very calm, brave
Fun Fact/Origin: Steel is strong, so it means your nerves are strong too.
Usage: Used for people who don’t get anxious easily.
18. Carry the weight of the world
Meaning: To feel like you have too many worries.
Example Sentence:
• She looked like she was carrying the weight of the world after school.
• He felt like the weight of the world was on his shoulders.
Other ways to say: Too much stress, very overwhelmed
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of carrying big problems alone.
Usage: When someone is stressed or anxious from too much pressure.
19. A storm brewing
Meaning: You can feel that trouble or stress is coming.
Example Sentence:
• I could feel a storm brewing when I forgot my homework.
• She saw the storm brewing as the argument started.
Other ways to say: Trouble is coming, something bad is near
Fun Fact/Origin: From real storms—you can feel them coming.
Usage: When someone feels nervous about what’s ahead.
20. Lose sleep over it
Meaning: To worry so much that you can’t sleep.
Example Sentence:
• I lost sleep over the test tomorrow.
• He lost sleep over his missing pet.
Other ways to say: Worry all night, can’t rest
Fun Fact/Origin: Being anxious can stop your body from resting.
Usage: When worry keeps someone awake.
21. Be in a tizzy
Meaning: Be upset or worried in a silly way.
Example Sentence:
• She was in a tizzy about her missing pencil.
• He got in a tizzy when he couldn’t find his backpack.
Other ways to say: Freak out, overreact
Fun Fact/Origin: A “tizzy” is a fun word for a big fuss.
Usage: When someone worries too much over something small.
22. Ants in your pants
Meaning: Can’t sit still because of nerves.
Example Sentence:
• He had ants in his pants before the big race.
• I had ants in my pants while waiting for my turn.
Other ways to say: Super jumpy, can’t sit still
Fun Fact/Origin: It’s like ants crawling, making you squirm.
Usage: When someone is too nervous to stay calm.
23. A sinking feeling
Meaning: Feeling that something bad is about to happen.
Example Sentence:
• I had a sinking feeling when the lights went out.
• She got a sinking feeling when she saw the test paper.
Other ways to say: A bad feeling, a deep worry
Fun Fact/Origin: Like your heart is sinking inside you.
Usage: When someone feels dread or fear coming.
24. Go to pieces
Meaning: To lose control because of fear or worry.
Example Sentence:
• I went to pieces after hearing the bad news.
• She went to pieces when she lost her favorite toy.
Other ways to say: Fall apart, get too upset
Fun Fact/Origin: It’s like your emotions are breaking into pieces.
Usage: When someone can’t handle strong worry or sadness.
25. Walk on eggshells
Meaning: Be very careful because you’re afraid something bad might happen.
Example Sentence:
• I walked on eggshells around my angry brother.
• She felt like she had to walk on eggshells at home.
Other ways to say: Be super careful, afraid to upset someone
Fun Fact/Origin: Stepping on eggshells would be very tricky and careful.
Usage: When someone is nervous about doing or saying the wrong thing.
26. Jumpy as a cat
Meaning: Easily startled or nervous.
Example Sentence:
• I was jumpy as a cat during the thunderstorm.
• She was jumpy as a cat before her test.
Other ways to say: Easily scared, twitchy
Fun Fact/Origin: Cats often jump at sudden sounds.
Usage: When someone reacts quickly to small things due to worry.
27. Feel like crawling out of your skin
Meaning: So anxious you want to escape your body.
Example Sentence:
• I felt like crawling out of my skin waiting for my turn.
• He felt like crawling out of his skin at the dentist.
Other ways to say: Super uneasy, very nervous
Fun Fact/Origin: Shows how badly someone wants to get away from stress.
Usage: When anxiety makes someone extremely uncomfortable.
28. Hold your breath
Meaning: Be very tense and waiting for something.
Example Sentence:
• We held our breath as the scores were announced.
• She held her breath waiting for the answer.
Other ways to say: Wait nervously, be tense
Fun Fact/Origin: People often stop breathing for a moment during stress.
Usage: Used when people are anxious while waiting.
29. On pins and needles
Meaning: Feeling very nervous or excited.
Example Sentence:
• I was on pins and needles waiting to be called on.
• He was on pins and needles before opening his gift.
Other ways to say: Anxious, excited in a nervous way
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the tingly feeling when nerves act up.
Usage: When you’re very anxious and can’t sit still.
30. Mind racing
Meaning: Having too many thoughts at once.
Example Sentence:
• My mind was racing before the spelling test.
• She couldn’t sleep because her mind was racing.
Other ways to say: Too many thoughts, thinking fast
Fun Fact/Origin: Anxiety can make your brain go too fast.
Usage: When someone is overthinking or stressed.
31. A gut feeling
Meaning: A strong feeling inside, often about worry.
Example Sentence:
• I had a gut feeling something wasn’t right.
• She followed her gut feeling to stay home.
Other ways to say: Instinct, deep feeling
Fun Fact/Origin: The stomach can feel tight when we’re anxious.
Usage: When someone senses something is wrong.
32. Go bananas
Meaning: To act crazy from stress or worry.
Example Sentence:
• I went bananas when I lost my notebook.
• He goes bananas before every test.
Other ways to say: Freak out, lose control
Fun Fact/Origin: It’s a fun way to say someone is overreacting.
Usage: When someone acts wild because of stress.
33. Feel the heat
Meaning: To feel pressure or stress.
Example Sentence:
• I felt the heat during the final round.
• She felt the heat when it was her turn to speak.
Other ways to say: Under pressure, stressed
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from how stress feels like heat building up.
Usage: When someone feels stress from a situation.
34. White-knuckle moment
Meaning: A time when you’re so nervous your knuckles turn white.
Example Sentence:
• The roller coaster ride was a white-knuckle moment.
• It was a white-knuckle moment waiting for the results.
Other ways to say: Very tense, super nervous
Fun Fact/Origin: Gripping something tightly can turn knuckles white.
Usage: When something makes you very anxious.
35. Like a fish out of water
Meaning: Feeling nervous or out of place.
Example Sentence:
• I felt like a fish out of water at the new school.
• She felt like a fish out of water in the art class.
Other ways to say: Out of place, uncomfortable
Fun Fact/Origin: A fish needs water, and out of it, it’s in trouble.
Usage: When someone feels nervous in a new setting.
36. Walking a tightrope
Meaning: Trying to stay calm in a tricky situation.
Example Sentence:
• I felt like I was walking a tightrope trying not to upset her.
• He was walking a tightrope between two angry friends.
Other ways to say: Being careful, in a hard spot
Fun Fact/Origin: A tightrope walker must stay balanced to avoid falling.
Usage: When someone is nervous about making a mistake.
37. Feel like your head is spinning
Meaning: Feeling confused and stressed.
Example Sentence:
• My head was spinning from all the homework.
• Her head was spinning trying to understand the lesson.
Other ways to say: Confused, overwhelmed
Fun Fact/Origin: Anxiety can make people feel dizzy or overloaded.
Usage: When someone feels anxious and can’t think clearly.
38. Like sitting on a ticking time bomb
Meaning: Waiting for something bad to happen.
Example Sentence:
• It felt like sitting on a ticking time bomb before the test.
• The house felt like a ticking time bomb during the argument.
Other ways to say: Waiting for trouble, tense moment
Fun Fact/Origin: Bombs have timers—waiting makes people anxious.
Usage: When someone feels something bad is about to happen.
39. Feel the walls closing in
Meaning: Feeling trapped and stressed.
Example Sentence:
• I felt the walls closing in when I forgot my lines.
• She felt the walls closing in at the crowded mall.
Other ways to say: Trapped, overwhelmed
Fun Fact/Origin: People often say this when a space or situation feels tight.
Usage: When someone is overwhelmed by anxiety.
40. Like your stomach dropped
Meaning: A sudden nervous or scared feeling.
Example Sentence:
• My stomach dropped when I saw my grade.
• Her stomach dropped when the loud sound happened.
Other ways to say: Sudden fear, anxious shock
Fun Fact/Origin: Some people feel a flip in the stomach during panic.
Usage: When fear or shock hits suddenly.
41. Like being under a microscope
Meaning: Feeling watched or judged closely.
Example Sentence:
• I felt like I was under a microscope during my speech.
• She felt under a microscope when the teacher asked her a question.
Other ways to say: Watched, judged
Fun Fact/Origin: A microscope shows every detail—just like anxiety can make you feel.
Usage: When someone feels anxious because they’re being closely watched.
42. Running on empty
Meaning: So tired or anxious that you feel drained.
Example Sentence:
• I was running on empty after a long day.
• She felt like she was running on empty during the big test week.
Other ways to say: Worn out, no energy
Fun Fact/Origin: Cars on empty fuel can’t go far—same with tired people.
Usage: When anxiety or stress wears you down.
43. Too many irons in the fire
Meaning: Having too many things to worry about.
Example Sentence:
• He had too many irons in the fire with clubs and homework.
• I had too many irons in the fire and felt overwhelmed.
Other ways to say: Too busy, overloaded
Fun Fact/Origin: Blacksmiths can’t heat too many irons at once, or things go wrong.
Usage: When someone has too much going on and feels anxious.
44. Feel like a ticking clock
Meaning: Feeling like time is running out.
Example Sentence:
• I felt like a ticking clock during the timed quiz.
• She felt like a ticking clock waiting for her parents to arrive.
Other ways to say: Time stress, countdown feeling
Fun Fact/Origin: A clock ticks toward a deadline, like how anxiety feels.
Usage: When time pressure causes anxiety.
45. Feel like you’re drowning
Meaning: Feeling overwhelmed by stress.
Example Sentence:
• I felt like I was drowning in homework.
• He felt like he was drowning in chores and practice.
Other ways to say: Overwhelmed, too much to handle
Fun Fact/Origin: Drowning is a scary image that shows deep stress.
Usage: When anxiety feels like it’s pulling someone under.
Quiz: Idioms for Anxiety
Instructions: Read each question and the answer choices carefully. Pick the letter that best matches the meaning of the phrase or expression.
Question Key
1. What does “on edge” mean?
A) Relaxed and happy
B) Feeling nervous or ready to react
C) Standing on something high
2. If someone is a “bundle of nerves,” how do they feel?
A) Calm and brave
B) Tired and sleepy
C) Very nervous or scared
3. What does “butterflies in the stomach” describe?
A) A hungry feeling
B) Nervousness or worry
C) Excitement after eating
4. If a person “bites their nails,” what are they likely feeling?
A) Bored
B) Nervous
C) Hungry
5. What does “sweating bullets” mean?
A) Working hard outside
B) Being hot in summer
C) Feeling very nervous or scared
6. If someone “gets cold feet,” what happens?
A) They go outside without socks
B) They feel excited
C) They get too nervous and back out
7. What does “a sinking feeling” describe?
A) A happy surprise
B) A deep feeling that something bad is coming
C) Getting tired
8. If you are “on pins and needles,” what does that mean?
A) You are sitting on something sharp
B) You are very nervous or excited
C) You are in pain
9. What does it mean to have a “white-knuckle moment”?
A) Your hands are dirty
B) You are holding something tightly from fear
C) You’re clapping loudly
10. What does “feel like your head is spinning” mean?
A) You are dizzy from a ride
B) You are happy
C) You are stressed and confused
11. If you “walk on eggshells” around someone, what are you doing?
A) Playing a game
B) Being very careful not to upset them
C) Walking on a farm
12. What does “like a fish out of water” mean?
A) You’re swimming well
B) You feel out of place and nervous
C) You’re happy at the beach
13. What does “drowning in homework” describe?
A) You are doing homework underwater
B) You have a lot of homework and feel overwhelmed
C) You finished all your homework quickly
Answer Key
- B) Feeling nervous or ready to react
- C) Very nervous or scared
- B) Nervousness or worry
- B) Nervous
- C) Feeling very nervous or scared
- C) They get too nervous and back out
- B) A deep feeling that something bad is coming
- B) You are very nervous or excited
- B) You are holding something tightly from fear
- C) You are stressed and confused
- B) Being very careful not to upset them
- B) You feel out of place and nervous
- B) You have a lot of homework and feel overwhelmed
Wrapping Up
Anxiety is something we all feel sometimes. It can show up before a big test, a performance, or even just talking in front of the class. Idioms help explain those feelings in ways that make them easier to talk about. Learning these idioms helps you understand your own feelings and share them with others. They also make conversations more fun and colorful. Next time you feel nervous, remember—there’s an idiom for that.
