have butterflies in your stomach
Meaning
To feel nervous or anxious (often with excited anticipation), causing a fluttery feeling in your stomach.
Origin
A metaphor describing a fluttering sensation in the stomach that can happen when someone is nervous or excited; recorded in English from the early 20th century and now widely used.
Notes
Common, informal-to-neutral. Used for pre-event nerves (interviews, dates, performances); can imply excited anticipation as well as anxiety.
Examples
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I always have butterflies in my stomach before speaking in front of a crowd.
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She had butterflies in her stomach as she waited for the interview to start.
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Do you have butterflies in your stomach before a first date?
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He had butterflies in his stomach when he opened the email with the exam results.
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Even after years on stage, they still get butterflies in their stomach right before the curtain rises.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Usually used with ‘have’ (or ‘get’): ‘I have butterflies in my stomach.’ Often with time clauses (‘before…’) or causes (‘about…’). Article/plural is fixed: ‘butterflies,’ not ‘a butterfly.’
Synonyms
- feel nervous
- have the jitters
- be anxious
- be on edge
Antonyms
- feel calm
- be at ease
- be relaxed
- keep your cool