overstrung

Examples

• All

• The children grew overstrung as the excitement built before the performance.

• His overstrung nerves made it impossible for him to concentrate on his work.

• After days without sleep, she became increasingly overstrung and irritable.

• After the exam, I was completely overstrung.

• After a long week at work, she felt overstrung and decided to take the weekend off to relax.

• He is often overstrung during exam season, which affects his ability to concentrate.

• Feeling overstrung, she took a few deep breaths to calm herself before speaking.

Synonyms

U

uptight

vsoverstrung

• Informal

77 5.0

Nervous and tense so you cannot relax

is more intensely nervous and often visibly strained

J

jumpy

vsoverstrung

• Informal

54 4.3

Feeling nervous and easily startled by sudden sounds

is tense in general rather than mainly reactive to shocks

E

edgy

vsoverstrung

41 5.2

Feeling nervous and tense, easily upset

is more extremely nervous and less about irritability

T

taut

vsoverstrung

30 4.8

Stretched tight and showing physical or emotional tension

is nervous in feeling rather than describing physical tightness

J

jittery

vsoverstrung

26 4.5

Feeling nervous and unable to stay still

is tense and nervous without necessarily showing physical shaking

O

overwrought

vsoverstrung

13 7.8

Feeling very nervous and upset because of strong emotion

is extreme too but focuses on tension rather than emotion

H

high-strung

vsoverstrung

12 7.2

Being very nervous and easily upset

is the identical idea but in different wording

R

restive

vsoverstrung

6 8.3

Not able to stay still because you feel impatient or nervous

is nervous and tense rather than restless from impatience

T

too uptight

vsoverstrung

• Informal

5 7.8

Being very nervous and tense about small things

is nervous but may be less obviously or less extreme

O

overanxious

vsoverstrung

3 7.0

Someone who worries too much about small problems, often more than needed

is nervous and tense without necessarily being judged excessive

O

overstressed

vsoverstrung

2 5.1

Feeling too much stress and unable to cope

is about being nervous and tense rather than mainly overloaded

H

highly strung

vsoverstrung

1 7.4

Someone who is very nervous and easily upset

is the same idea but often seen as the standard form

U

unstrung

vsoverstrung

1 7.6

Very nervous and unable to think clearly after a shock or stress

is similar but centres on general nervous tension not shock

N

nervy

vsoverstrung

1 6.5

Feeling worried and tense before a difficult event

is more extreme and implies unusually high nervous tension

S

strained

vsoverstrung

4.2

Appearing not natural and tense, often like a forced smile

is nervous emotionally rather than merely appearing unnatural

Antonyms

C

calm

735 1.0

Not showing strong feelings and being very still

R

relaxed

241 1.0

Calm and not worried

How Tense

overstrung

8.2

tense

310 3.6

nervous

∞ 1.3

uneasy

98 3.2

relaxed

241 1.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology