Idioms for Anxiety! We all face anxiety, whether or not it is related to tests, interviews, or just everyday life. Using idioms could make it simpler to express these emotions. In this article, you will learn 30 Common English idioms related to anxiety. Each idiom has a useful meaning and examples to help you understand and use them. Stay with us and learn how to express yourself in an engaging and friendly way. If you want a free PDF of this lesson, you can download it from the bottom of this page.
Idioms for Anxiety in English
- Bite the Bullet
- On Edge
- Sweating Bullets
- Walking on Eggshells
- Butterflies in My Stomach
- Burning the Midnight Oil
- Nervous Wreck
- Fretting Over
- In a Cold Sweat
- Heart in My Mouth
- Feel the Heat
- Tension Mounting
- Panic Button
- Lose Sleep Over
- In Over My Head
- Tighten the Screws
- Treading Water
- Under Pressure
- Choking Under Pressure
- Second Guessing
- On Pins and Needles
- Mind in a Tangle
- Keep It Together
- The Elephant in the Room
- At the End of My Rope
- Dancing on a Razor’s Edge
- Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place
- Face the Music
- Burning with Anxiety
- Riding the Emotional Rollercoaster
Anxiety Idioms with Meanings and Examples
Bite the Bullet
Meaning: Face something difficult.
- I had to bite the bullet and tell her.
- Sometimes, you must bite the bullet.
On Edge
Meaning: Feeling nervous.
- She’s on edge about the exam.
- I’m on edge waiting for results.
Sweating Bullets
Meaning: Very nervous.
- He was sweating bullets before his speech.
- I sweat bullets before interviews.
Walking on Eggshells
Meaning: Being careful not to upset someone.
- I’m walking on eggshells around her.
- He’s been walking on eggshells since the fight.
Butterflies in My Stomach
Meaning: Feeling nervous.
- I had butterflies before the date.
- She gets butterflies before tests.
Burning the Midnight Oil
Meaning: Staying up late to work.
- I’m burning the midnight oil for my project.
- He burns the midnight oil before exams.
Nervous Wreck
Meaning: Extremely anxious person.
- She’s a nervous wreck before events.
- He’s a nervous wreck with all the pressure.
Fretting Over
Meaning: Worrying too much.
- Stop fretting over small things.
- She’s fretting over her presentation.
In a Cold Sweat
Meaning: Very anxious or scared.
- He woke up in a cold sweat.
- I was in a cold sweat waiting for results.
Heart in My Mouth
Meaning: Very nervous.
- My heart was in my mouth at the news.
- I had my heart in my mouth before the test.
Feel the Heat
Meaning: Experience pressure.
- I felt the heat before the deadline.
- She feels the heat before competitions.
Tension Mounting
Meaning: Increasing stress.
- Tension is mounting as the deadline nears.
- I felt the tension mounting in the meeting.
Panic Button
Meaning: Triggering anxiety.
- Don’t hit the panic button, it’s okay.
- He pressed the panic button during the exam.
Lose Sleep Over
Meaning: Worrying excessively.
- Don’t lose sleep over it.
- Stop losing sleep over things you can’t change.
In Over My Head
Meaning: Overwhelmed.
- I feel in over my head with assignments.
- He was in over his head with the project.
Tighten the Screws
Meaning: Increase pressure.
- They’re tightening the screws on us.
- The boss tightened the screws before the deadline.
Treading Water
Meaning: Staying afloat, not advancing.
- I’m just treading water at my job.
- He’s treading water until he finds a better job.
Under Pressure
Meaning: Feeling stressed.
- I work well under pressure.
- She thrives under pressure during exams.
Choking Under Pressure
Meaning: Failing due to stress.
- He choked under pressure in the game.
- Don’t worry about choking; just do your best.
Second Guessing
Meaning: Doubting decisions.
- I keep second-guessing my choices.
- Stop second-guessing yourself.
On Pins and Needles
Meaning: Anxiously waiting.
- I’m on pins and needles for the results.
- She was on pins and needles during the interview.
Mind in a Tangle
Meaning: Confused.
- My mind is tangled up with this information.
- He had his mind in a tangle about the problem.
Keep It Together
Meaning: Stay calm.
- I have to keep it together during stress.
- She struggles to keep it together under pressure.
The Elephant in the Room
Meaning: An ignored major issue.
- Let’s address the elephant in the room.
- Ignoring the elephant won’t help.
At the End of My Rope
Meaning: Out of patience.
- I’m at the end of my rope with this.
- He felt at the end of his rope after setbacks.
Dancing on a Razor’s Edge
Meaning: In a risky situation.
- She’s dancing on a razor’s edge with her choices.
- Living like this feels like dancing on a razor’s edge.
Face the Music
Meaning: Confront consequences.
- Time to face the music about the problem.
- He had to face the music for missing the deadline.
Burning with Anxiety
Meaning: Intense worry.
- She was burning with anxiety before the exam.
- He felt burning with anxiety about the results.
Idioms for Expressing Nervous | Pictures
Anxiety Idioms in English PDF.