50 Common Idioms for Nervous with Meaning & Sentences
Idioms for Nervous
1. Shaking like a leaf
Meaning: Trembling due to nervousness or fear.
In a Sentence: As he approached the stage, Jack was shaking like a leaf.
Other Ways to Say: Trembling uncontrollably, Quivering.
2. Butterflies in the stomach
Meaning: Feeling nervous or anxious.
In a Sentence: I had butterflies in my stomach before the exam.
Other Ways to Say: Feeling anxious, Nervous excitement.
3. On pins and needles
Meaning: Feeling nervous or anxious while waiting.
In a Sentence: She was on pins and needles waiting for the test results.
Other Ways to Say: Anxious, Nervous.
4. Cold feet
Meaning: Nervousness that causes someone to back out of something.
In a Sentence: He got cold feet before the wedding and called it off.
Other Ways to Say: Lose courage, Get nervous.
5. Nervous wreck
Meaning: A person who is very nervous or anxious.
In a Sentence: She was a nervous wreck before the job interview.
Other Ways to Say: Very anxious, Stressed out.
6. Heart in your mouth
Meaning: Feeling very nervous or scared.
In a Sentence: I had my heart in my mouth during the scary movie.
Other Ways to Say: Very nervous, Fearful.
7. Jump out of your skin
Meaning: To be very startled or nervous.
In a Sentence: I nearly jumped out of my skin when the phone rang suddenly.
Other Ways to Say: Be startled, Shocked.
8. Tongue-tied
Meaning: Unable to speak due to nervousness.
In a Sentence: I was tongue-tied during my speech.
Other Ways to Say: Speechless, At a loss for words.
9. On edge
Meaning: Nervous or tense.
In a Sentence: She was on edge before the exam results.
Other Ways to Say: Tense, Nervous.
10. Lose your nerve
Meaning: To become too afraid to do something.
In a Sentence: He lost his nerve and didn’t go on stage.
Other Ways to Say: Get scared, Back out.
Idioms for Never Going to Happen
11. Break out in a cold sweat
Meaning: To become very nervous or scared.
In a Sentence: He broke out in a cold sweat before the presentation.
Other Ways to Say: Get anxious, Become nervous.
12. On shaky ground
Meaning: Feeling uncertain or insecure.
In a Sentence: After the mistake, he was on shaky ground with his boss.
Other Ways to Say: Insecure, Uncertain.
13. Twitchy
Meaning: Nervous or restless.
In a Sentence: She was twitchy before the big game.
Other Ways to Say: Nervous, Fidgety.
14. Fidgety
Meaning: Unable to keep still due to nervousness.
In a Sentence: The kids were fidgety waiting for their turn.
Other Ways to Say: Restless, Nervous.
15. On tenterhooks
Meaning: In a state of anxious suspense.
In a Sentence: We were on tenterhooks waiting for the final decision.
Other Ways to Say: Anxious, Nervous.
16. Butterflies in your stomach
Meaning: Nervous excitement.
In a Sentence: I always get butterflies in my stomach before a performance.
Other Ways to Say: Nervous, Anxious.
17. Feeling jittery
Meaning: Feeling nervous or shaky.
In a Sentence: I felt jittery before my driving test.
Other Ways to Say: Nervous, Shaky.
18. On the ropes
Meaning: In a difficult or tense situation.
In a Sentence: The team was on the ropes after the opponent scored.
Other Ways to Say: Under pressure, Nervous.
19. Anxious as a cat
Meaning: Extremely nervous or alert.
In a Sentence: She was anxious as a cat waiting for her exam results.
Other Ways to Say: Very nervous, Alert.
20. A bundle of nerves
Meaning: Someone very nervous.
In a Sentence: He was a bundle of nerves before the speech.
Other Ways to Say: Very anxious, Nervous wreck.
21. Have the jitters
Meaning: Feeling nervous.
In a Sentence: I always have the jitters before a big game.
Other Ways to Say: Nervous, Anxious.
22. Get cold feet
Meaning: To become nervous and hesitant.
In a Sentence: She got cold feet before signing the contract.
Other Ways to Say: Lose courage, Hesitate.
23. Tremble like a leaf
Meaning: To shake due to nervousness.
In a Sentence: He trembled like a leaf during the exam.
Other Ways to Say: Shake, Quiver.
24. Quaking in your boots
Meaning: Feeling very scared or nervous.
In a Sentence: The child was quaking in his boots before the test.
Other Ways to Say: Very scared, Trembling.
25. Have butterflies
Meaning: To feel nervous excitement.
In a Sentence: She had butterflies before her performance.
Other Ways to Say: Nervous, Excited.
26. Feel jittery
Meaning: Feeling nervous or shaky.
In a Sentence: I felt jittery before the interview.
Other Ways to Say: Nervous, Anxious.
27. Nervous as a cat
Meaning: Very nervous or anxious.
In a Sentence: He was nervous as a cat before the presentation.
Other Ways to Say: Anxious, Alert.
28. Butterflies in the tummy
Meaning: Feeling nervous or excited.
In a Sentence: I had butterflies in my tummy before the race.
Other Ways to Say: Nervous, Excited.
29. Shake in your shoes
Meaning: To be very nervous or scared.
In a Sentence: He was shaking in his shoes before the exam.
Other Ways to Say: Trembling, Nervous.
30. On tenterhooks
Meaning: In anxious suspense.
In a Sentence: We were on tenterhooks waiting for the news.
Other Ways to Say: Anxious, Nervous.
31. Have nerves of steel
Meaning: To be very calm and composed under pressure.
In a Sentence: She has nerves of steel during competitions.
Other Ways to Say: Calm, Composed.
32. Twitching with nerves
Meaning: Showing physical signs of nervousness.
In a Sentence: His hands were twitching with nerves before the speech.
Other Ways to Say: Fidgeting, Anxious.
33. A nervous Nellie
Meaning: A person who is overly nervous.
In a Sentence: Don’t be such a nervous Nellie about the test.
Other Ways to Say: Worrywart, Nervous person.
34. Getting the heebie-jeebies
Meaning: Feeling nervous or uncomfortable.
In a Sentence: The dark alley gave me the heebie-jeebies.
Other Ways to Say: Nervous, Uneasy.
35. Shaky as a leaf
Meaning: Trembling due to nervousness.
In a Sentence: She was shaky as a leaf before the performance.
Other Ways to Say: Trembling, Quivering.
36. Feeling uptight
Meaning: Tense or nervous.
In a Sentence: He felt uptight before the big meeting.
Other Ways to Say: Tense, Nervous.
37. On a knife-edge
Meaning: In a tense or nervous state.
In a Sentence: The crowd was on a knife-edge waiting for the result.
Other Ways to Say: Nervous, Tense.
38. Getting butterflies
Meaning: Feeling nervous excitement.
In a Sentence: I’m getting butterflies before the interview.
Other Ways to Say: Nervous, Excited.
39. Nervous as a long-tailed cat
Meaning: Very nervous.
In a Sentence: She was nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.
Other Ways to Say: Very anxious, Nervous wreck.
40. Feeling edgy
Meaning: Nervous or irritable.
In a Sentence: He’s been feeling edgy all day before the presentation.
Other Ways to Say: Nervous, Tense.
41. Have shaky knees
Meaning: To feel nervous or scared.
In a Sentence: She had shaky knees before going on stage.
Other Ways to Say: Nervous, Trembling.
42. On tenterhooks
Meaning: In suspense or nervous anticipation.
In a Sentence: We waited on tenterhooks for the verdict.
Other Ways to Say: Nervous, Anxious.
43. Get the jitters
Meaning: To feel nervous.
In a Sentence: I get the jitters before public speaking.
Other Ways to Say: Nervous, Anxious.
44. Butterflies in your stomach
Meaning: Nervous excitement.
In a Sentence: She had butterflies in her stomach before the competition.
Other Ways to Say: Nervous, Excited.
45. Tongue-tied
Meaning: Unable to speak due to nervousness.
In a Sentence: I was tongue-tied during the interview.
Other Ways to Say: Speechless, At a loss for words.
46. Nervous wreck
Meaning: Someone very nervous.
In a Sentence: He was a nervous wreck before the exam.
Other Ways to Say: Very anxious, Stressed out.
47. Quivering like a leaf
Meaning: Trembling from nervousness.
In a Sentence: She was quivering like a leaf during the speech.
Other Ways to Say: Trembling, Shaking.
48. Feeling jittery
Meaning: Feeling nervous or shaky.
In a Sentence: I was feeling jittery before the performance.
Other Ways to Say: Nervous, Anxious.
49. Butterflies in your belly
Meaning: Nervous excitement.
In a Sentence: He had butterflies in his belly before the big game.
Other Ways to Say: Nervous, Excited.
50. On pins and needles
Meaning: Nervously waiting.
In a Sentence: She was on pins and needles waiting for the phone call.
Other Ways to Say: Nervous, Anxious.
