on pins and needles

🌎Region: International 📊Difficulty Level:intermediate

💡Meaning

Feeling very anxious, nervous, or excited while waiting for something to happen.

🕰️Origin

It comes from the physical sensation of discomfort or tingling as if pricked by pins and needles, used metaphorically for mental restlessness and anxiety while waiting.

📝Notes

Common in conversation for anxious anticipation (waiting for news/results). Often implies nervous restlessness rather than fear; can also be excited anticipation.

💬Examples

I’ve been on pins and needles all morning waiting for the biopsy results.
The kids were on pins and needles the night before the trip, too excited to sleep.
She was on pins and needles during the final minutes of the game.
We’re all on pins and needles to hear whether the deal goes through.
He sat on pins and needles as his name was about to be called.

📘Grammar & Usage Notes

Usually used with the verb ‘be’: ‘I’m/was on pins and needles (about/over X)’ or ‘waiting for…’. Fairly fixed phrase; rarely singularized or reworded.

🔗Synonyms

on tenterhooks
anxious
nervous
restless
on edge

↔️Antonyms

at ease
calm
relaxed