Anxiety can feel like a heavy cloud, but language has given us many creative ways to talk about it. Idioms are special phrases that don’t always mean what they say, but they help us express deep feelings—like nervousness, stress, or fear—in more relatable and sometimes even humorous ways.
Whether you’re dealing with public speaking jitters or the stress of making a big decision, these idioms capture the feeling of anxiety in everyday language. Learning them can help you better understand others and communicate your own emotions in powerful ways. In this post, you’ll find idioms that describe nervousness, fear, and worry—plus how to use them in a sentence and what they really mean.
Let’s explore some anxiety-related idioms that help us make sense of those butterflies in our stomachs.
Idioms for Anxiety
1. Butterflies in your stomach
Meaning: Feeling nervous or anxious, usually before something important.
In a Sentence: I had butterflies in my stomach before the big performance.
Other Ways to Say: Feel jittery, Be nervous
2. On edge
Meaning: Feeling tense, irritable, or nervous.
In a Sentence: She’s been on edge all week waiting for her exam results.
Other Ways to Say: Tense, Anxious
3. Sweating bullets
Meaning: Feeling extremely nervous or anxious.
In a Sentence: I was sweating bullets while waiting for my turn to speak.
Other Ways to Say: Very nervous, Extremely tense
4. Heart in your mouth
Meaning: Feeling a sudden rush of fear or anxiety.
In a Sentence: My heart was in my mouth when I saw the final exam paper.
Other Ways to Say: Scared, Shocked with worry
5. Knots in your stomach
Meaning: Feeling physically uncomfortable due to stress or anxiety.
In a Sentence: I had knots in my stomach before my first job interview.
Other Ways to Say: Nervous stomach, Tense feelings
6. Lose your cool
Meaning: To become very upset or anxious, often visibly.
In a Sentence: I tried to stay calm, but I lost my cool during the meeting.
Other Ways to Say: Panic, Get upset
7. Break out in a cold sweat
Meaning: Suddenly start sweating due to fear or anxiety.
In a Sentence: I broke out in a cold sweat when I realized I forgot my lines.
Other Ways to Say: Panic response, Feel intense worry
8. Shaky as a leaf
Meaning: Trembling due to nervousness or fear.
In a Sentence: He was shaky as a leaf before going on stage.
Other Ways to Say: Trembling, Nervous energy
9. Walking on eggshells
Meaning: Being very careful about what you say or do to avoid upsetting someone.
In a Sentence: Ever since the argument, we’ve been walking on eggshells around him.
Other Ways to Say: Tread carefully, Be cautious
10. A bundle of nerves
Meaning: Someone who is very anxious or nervous.
In a Sentence: I was a bundle of nerves before the driving test.
Other Ways to Say: Extremely anxious, Tightly wound
11. Bite your nails
Meaning: Feeling anxious or worried.
In a Sentence: I was biting my nails while waiting for the doctor’s call.
Other Ways to Say: Nervous habit, Anxious gesture
12. Jump out of your skin
Meaning: To be extremely startled or scared.
In a Sentence: I almost jumped out of my skin when the fire alarm rang.
Other Ways to Say: Get startled, Be terrified
13. In a flap
Meaning: To be upset or confused, especially because of anxiety.
In a Sentence: She was in a flap over what to wear for the interview.
Other Ways to Say: In a panic, Flustered
14. Have your nerves shot
Meaning: Feeling completely drained or overwhelmed by stress.
In a Sentence: After that rollercoaster ride, my nerves were shot.
Other Ways to Say: Mentally exhausted, Frazzled
15. Freak out
Meaning: To lose control or become very anxious.
In a Sentence: I totally freaked out when I couldn’t find my passport.
Other Ways to Say: Panic, Lose it
16. Jump at your own shadow
Meaning: Being so nervous that even the smallest things scare you.
In a Sentence: He was so tense he jumped at his own shadow.
Other Ways to Say: Extremely jumpy, Paranoid
17. Feel like a deer in headlights
Meaning: To be so surprised or scared that you freeze and don’t know what to do.
In a Sentence: When the teacher called on me, I felt like a deer in headlights.
Other Ways to Say: Frozen with fear, Stunned
18. Go to pieces
Meaning: To become emotionally overwhelmed and unable to function.
In a Sentence: She went to pieces after hearing the bad news.
Other Ways to Say: Break down, Lose control
19. Have a meltdown
Meaning: To become very upset or lose control due to stress.
In a Sentence: I had a total meltdown after studying all night and still failing the quiz.
Other Ways to Say: Break down, Lose composure
20. Get cold feet
Meaning: To suddenly feel nervous or unsure about a decision.
In a Sentence: I got cold feet right before stepping into the audition room.
Other Ways to Say: Second thoughts, Back out
21. Tear your hair out
Meaning: To feel very frustrated or anxious.
In a Sentence: She was tearing her hair out trying to meet the deadline.
Other Ways to Say: Very stressed, At wit’s end
22. Have a lot on your plate
Meaning: To be overwhelmed with too many responsibilities or worries.
In a Sentence: I’ve got a lot on my plate this week with exams and chores.
Other Ways to Say: Very busy, Feeling overwhelmed
23. At your wit’s end
Meaning: To be completely confused or frustrated and not know what to do.
In a Sentence: I was at my wit’s end trying to fix the printer.
Other Ways to Say: Out of options, Desperate
24. Crack under pressure
Meaning: To lose control or fail due to stress.
In a Sentence: He cracked under pressure during the final match.
Other Ways to Say: Collapse, Fail from stress
25. In a state
Meaning: To be very upset, anxious, or emotional.
In a Sentence: She was in a real state after losing her phone.
Other Ways to Say: Distressed, Worried
26. Get worked up
Meaning: To become overly upset or anxious about something.
In a Sentence: Don’t get so worked up over that comment—it wasn’t personal.
Other Ways to Say: Agitated, Stressed out
27. A nail-biter
Meaning: A tense or anxious situation, especially while waiting for something.
In a Sentence: That last-minute goal made the whole game a real nail-biter.
Other Ways to Say: Very tense, Suspenseful moment
28. In over your head
Meaning: Being involved in a situation that’s too difficult or stressful.
In a Sentence: I agreed to lead the project, but now I feel in over my head.
Other Ways to Say: Overwhelmed, Out of your depth
29. Break down
Meaning: To lose control of your emotions due to stress or sadness.
In a Sentence: I broke down after hearing the disappointing news.
Other Ways to Say: Cry, Collapse emotionally
30. Feel the heat
Meaning: To feel pressure or stress, often from expectations.
In a Sentence: I started feeling the heat when my name was called for the presentation.
Other Ways to Say: Under pressure, Stressed out
31. A storm in a teacup
Meaning: A small problem that is blown out of proportion.
In a Sentence: Their argument was just a storm in a teacup.
Other Ways to Say: Overreaction, Big fuss over nothing
32. Be in a tizzy
Meaning: To be agitated or flustered.
In a Sentence: She was in a tizzy trying to get everything ready for the party.
Other Ways to Say: Flustered, Panicked
33. Chew your nails
Meaning: A nervous habit often caused by anxiety.
In a Sentence: He was chewing his nails before the interview.
Other Ways to Say: Nervous behavior, Worry response
34. Have a panic attack
Meaning: To experience sudden intense fear or anxiety.
In a Sentence: I almost had a panic attack during the turbulence on the plane.
Other Ways to Say: Extreme anxiety, Sudden fear episode
35. Lose sleep over
Meaning: To worry so much that you can’t rest.
In a Sentence: I lost sleep over whether I made the right decision.
Other Ways to Say: Worry all night, Be troubled
36. Go off the deep end
Meaning: To overreact emotionally, often because of anxiety or stress.
In a Sentence: He went off the deep end when he couldn’t find his car keys.
Other Ways to Say: Lose control, Freak out
37. Get the jitters
Meaning: To feel nervous or uneasy, usually before something important.
In a Sentence: I always get the jitters before performing on stage.
Other Ways to Say: Pre-event nerves, Anxious energy
38. Be a nervous wreck
Meaning: Someone who is extremely anxious or stressed.
In a Sentence: I was a nervous wreck waiting to hear back from the college.
Other Ways to Say: Highly anxious, On edge constantly
Exercise to Practice
Fill in the blanks with the correct idiom:
- I had ________ in my stomach before my speech.
- She was ________ out during the entire math exam.
- He always ________ his nails when he’s nervous.
- I felt like a ________ in headlights when the teacher called on me.
- She ________ out when she couldn’t find her backpack.
- I didn’t sleep at all—I was ________ sleep over the test.
- He ________ out in a cold sweat before the big meeting.
- I had so much to do this week—I’m totally ________ my head.
- That horror movie had me ________ as a leaf!
- I tried not to ________ under pressure, but it was hard.
- Before the results came in, I was a ________ of nerves.
- We’ve been ________ on eggshells ever since that argument.
Answers:
butterflies, freaking, bites, deer, freaked, losing, broke, in over, shaky, crack, bundle, walking
Conclusion
Anxiety is a part of life, but knowing how to talk about it can make it feel less overwhelming. These idioms give us colorful, relatable ways to express our nerves, worries, and fears. Whether you’re facing a stressful moment or trying to comfort a friend, these phrases help you connect, communicate, and understand emotions better.
Try using them in real-life conversations, journal entries, or even while watching movies to spot how often they come up. The more familiar you get with them, the easier it will be to manage anxiety—not just with calm breathing, but with the right words too.
