Sometimes people feel nervous or worried. This feeling is called anxiety. It can happen before a test, a speech, or even meeting someone new. Everyone feels this way sometimes, and that’s okay. To talk about these feelings, people often use idioms. Idioms are special phrases that don’t always mean exactly what the words say. They make language more interesting and help people share feelings in a simple way.
In this lesson, you’ll learn idioms that show anxiety. These phrases are used in stories, conversations, and even in cartoons. Each idiom has a meaning and a sentence to help you understand how to use it. By learning these idioms, you can better describe how you or someone else feels when they are anxious. Let’s look at some of these helpful expressions.
Idioms for Anxiety
1. Butterflies in my stomach
Meaning: Feeling nervous.
Example: I had butterflies in my stomach before my speech. / She gets butterflies before a big test.
Put Differently: I felt nervous. / She felt a little shaky inside.
2. On edge
Meaning: Feeling nervous or jumpy.
Example: I was on edge waiting for my name to be called. / He was on edge before his piano solo.
Put Differently: I felt tense. / He was not calm.
3. Walking on eggshells
Meaning: Being very careful not to upset someone.
Example: I was walking on eggshells around Dad after the broken lamp. / We were walking on eggshells in class after the warning.
Put Differently: I tried not to make things worse. / We were very careful.
4. Heart in my mouth
Meaning: Feeling scared or nervous.
Example: My heart was in my mouth when the teacher called on me. / I had my heart in my mouth during the storm.
Put Differently: I felt very worried. / I was scared something might happen.
5. Lose sleep over
Meaning: To worry about something.
Example: I lost sleep over the big test. / She lost sleep over the fight with her friend.
Put Differently: I couldn’t stop thinking about it. / She was really worried.
6. Break out in a cold sweat
Meaning: To feel scared or nervous and start sweating.
Example: I broke out in a cold sweat before the tryouts. / He broke out in a cold sweat before going on stage.
Put Differently: I got really nervous. / He was shaking and sweating.
7. A bundle of nerves
Meaning: Very nervous.
Example: I was a bundle of nerves before my first day. / She was a bundle of nerves before the game.
Put Differently: I was super anxious. / She couldn’t relax.
8. Jumpy
Meaning: Easily scared or nervous.
Example: I felt jumpy waiting for my turn. / He gets jumpy before doctor visits.
Put Differently: I was a little shaky. / He gets nervous fast.
9. Have cold feet
Meaning: To feel too nervous to do something.
Example: I got cold feet before the talent show. / She had cold feet and didn’t give the speech.
Put Differently: I was too scared. / She changed her mind because she was nervous.
10. Shaky hands
Meaning: Hands that move because of fear or nerves.
Example: I had shaky hands during the spelling bee. / His hands were shaky before the test.
Put Differently: I was nervous. / He couldn’t hold still.
11. Feel small
Meaning: Feeling nervous or not confident.
Example: I felt small when everyone looked at me. / She felt small when she made a mistake.
Put Differently: I felt unsure. / She didn’t feel strong.
12. A frog in my throat
Meaning: Feeling nervous and having trouble speaking.
Example: I had a frog in my throat during my speech. / He got a frog in his throat when answering the question.
Put Differently: I couldn’t talk right. / He was nervous and couldn’t speak well.
13. At the end of my rope
Meaning: Feeling like you can’t take any more stress.
Example: I was at the end of my rope after a hard week. / She felt at the end of her rope with homework.
Put Differently: I couldn’t handle it anymore. / She felt overwhelmed.
14. In a panic
Meaning: Feeling sudden fear or anxiety.
Example: I was in a panic when I lost my backpack. / She was in a panic before her dance.
Put Differently: I was scared fast. / She got super nervous quickly.
15. Feel like crawling in a hole
Meaning: Feeling very embarrassed or nervous.
Example: I wanted to crawl in a hole when I tripped on stage. / He felt like crawling in a hole after giving the wrong answer.
Put Differently: I felt super embarrassed. / He wanted to hide.
16. Nerves got the best of me
Meaning: Anxiety stopped you from doing something well.
Example: My nerves got the best of me during my piano song. / Her nerves got the best of her during the game.
Put Differently: I was too nervous to do well. / She couldn’t stay calm.
17. Can’t sit still
Meaning: Feeling nervous and moving a lot.
Example: I couldn’t sit still before the results. / He can’t sit still when he’s nervous.
Put Differently: I kept moving around. / He was full of nervous energy.
18. Stomach in knots
Meaning: Feeling nervous and having a weird feeling in your belly.
Example: My stomach was in knots before the test. / She had her stomach in knots before speaking.
Put Differently: I felt worried inside. / She felt tense.
19. Feel like something bad is coming
Meaning: A nervous feeling about the future.
Example: I felt like something bad was coming before the game. / He had that feeling before the quiz.
Put Differently: I had a nervous feeling. / He felt uneasy.
20. Shaky voice
Meaning: Voice that shakes because of nervousness.
Example: My voice was shaky when I read out loud. / He had a shaky voice during his speech.
Put Differently: I was too nervous to speak clearly. / He couldn’t speak normally.
21. Break a sweat
Meaning: To become nervous or work hard.
Example: I broke a sweat waiting for my name to be called. / She broke a sweat before her big test.
Put Differently: I got nervous. / She felt tense.
22. Tied up in knots
Meaning: Feeling very worried or anxious.
Example: I was tied up in knots waiting for my grade. / He felt tied up in knots before his presentation.
Put Differently: I was really worried. / He couldn’t relax.
23. Feel like I’m being watched
Meaning: Feeling nervous when others are looking.
Example: I felt like I was being watched when I spoke. / He felt nervous during his turn.
Put Differently: I was aware and anxious. / He didn’t feel calm.
24. Lose my cool
Meaning: To stop being calm because of stress.
Example: I lost my cool when I forgot my words. / She lost her cool during the group project.
Put Differently: I couldn’t stay calm. / She got too upset.
25. Feel the pressure
Meaning: Feeling stress to do well.
Example: I felt the pressure before the spelling bee. / He felt the pressure to win the race.
Put Differently: I was stressed to do well. / He wanted to succeed and it made him nervous.
26. Break down
Meaning: To cry or feel overwhelmed.
Example: I broke down after the hard test. / She broke down when she lost her notebook.
Put Differently: I couldn’t hold it in. / She got too upset.
27. Sweating bullets
Meaning: Feeling very, very nervous.
Example: I was sweating bullets before my turn. / He was sweating bullets when the teacher called on him.
Put Differently: I was super nervous. / He was really scared.
28. Feel out of place
Meaning: Feeling like you don’t belong.
Example: I felt out of place at the new school. / She felt out of place at the big party.
Put Differently: I felt awkward. / She didn’t feel like she fit in.
29. Can’t think straight
Meaning: Feeling too anxious to think clearly.
Example: I couldn’t think straight before the test. / He couldn’t think straight after hearing the news.
Put Differently: My brain felt fuzzy. / He was too nervous to focus.
30. Mind going blank
Meaning: Forgetting what to say because of nerves.
Example: My mind went blank during my speech. / Her mind went blank when the teacher asked her.
Put Differently: I forgot everything. / She couldn’t remember.
31. In over my head
Meaning: Feeling like something is too hard.
Example: I felt in over my head in math class. / He was in over his head with the science project.
Put Differently: I didn’t know how to handle it. / It was too much for him.
32. A heavy feeling
Meaning: A feeling of worry or sadness.
Example: I had a heavy feeling before the test. / She had a heavy feeling when her friend was upset.
Put Differently: I felt down inside. / She was quietly worried.
33. On pins and needles
Meaning: Waiting nervously.
Example: I was on pins and needles waiting for my turn. / We were on pins and needles before the announcement.
Put Differently: I couldn’t sit still. / We were very nervous.
34. Hold my breath
Meaning: Waiting nervously for something to happen.
Example: I held my breath while the scores were read. / He held his breath waiting for the answer.
Put Differently: I waited in fear. / He was really nervous.
35. Choked up
Meaning: Feeling like you can’t speak because of emotion.
Example: I got choked up during my speech. / She was choked up when she said goodbye.
Put Differently: I couldn’t speak. / She felt too nervous to talk.
36. Feel the weight
Meaning: Feeling pressure or worry.
Example: I felt the weight of the whole team on me. / She felt the weight of the test on her mind.
Put Differently: I felt a lot of pressure. / She was nervous about doing well.
37. Shaking in my boots
Meaning: Being very scared or anxious.
Example: I was shaking in my boots before my turn. / He was shaking in his boots at the dentist.
Put Differently: I was very scared. / He was full of fear.
38. Need to catch my breath
Meaning: Feeling overwhelmed and needing to calm down.
Example: I had to catch my breath after reading aloud. / She needed to catch her breath after running and getting called on.
Put Differently: I needed a second to calm down. / She was nervous and needed a break.
39. My head is spinning
Meaning: Feeling confused or overwhelmed.
Example: My head was spinning with all the new rules. / His head was spinning after the surprise quiz.
Put Differently: I couldn’t keep up. / He felt confused.
40. Feel trapped
Meaning: Feeling stuck and nervous.
Example: I felt trapped during the group activity. / She felt trapped when everyone looked at her.
Put Differently: I couldn’t move or speak. / She didn’t know what to do.
“Rewrite the Sentence” Activity: Idioms about Aging
Below are 10 sentences expressing feelings or situations about aging without using idioms. Your task is to rewrite each sentence using one of the idioms from the previous sections. Be sure to make the new sentences sound natural and keep the meaning the same.
Sentences to Rewrite
1. Maya felt very nervous before her class presentation.
2. Jacob kept sweating during his spelling test.
3. Emma was scared and her hands were shaking.
4. Lucas stayed up all night thinking about the math quiz.
5. Ava couldn’t sit still while waiting for her name to be called.
6. Noah got very quiet and couldn’t speak during his turn.
7. Olivia kept rubbing her hands together while waiting for the results.
8. Liam was so worried that he couldn’t eat his lunch.
9. Mia kept jumping every time she heard a sound in the dark.
10. Ethan felt trapped and didn’t know what to do next.
Answer Key
1. Maya was a bundle of nerves before her class presentation.
2. Jacob broke into a cold sweat during his spelling test.
3. Emma was shaking like a leaf.
4. Lucas lost sleep over the math quiz.
5. Ava was on pins and needles while waiting for her name to be called.
6. Noah choked up during his turn.
7. Olivia was wringing her hands while waiting for the results.
8. Liam was worried sick and couldn’t eat his lunch.
9. Mia jumped at every sound in the dark.
10. Ethan felt trapped and like crawling out of his skin.
Conclusion
Feeling nervous is something everyone goes through. It can happen at school, at home, or around friends. Idioms help us talk about these feelings in a clear and interesting way. By learning idioms for anxiety, you can better describe how you or someone else feels in different situations.
Now that you know these phrases, try to notice them in books, shows, or conversations. You can also use them in your own writing or when talking with others. Understanding these expressions can make it easier to talk about your feelings and understand others too.
