in a dither

Idioms  

1. Also, all of a dither;. In a state of tremulous agitation, as in Planning the wedding put her in a dither, or He tried to pull himself together, but he was all of a dither, or She showed up in such a flutter that our meeting was useless. The noun dither dates from the early 1800s and goes back to the Middle English verb didderen, “to tremble”; in a flutter dates from the mid-1700s; in a tizzy dates from about 1930 and is of uncertain origin.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

in a dither

Center Theatre Group, in a dither after Michael Ritchie’s lackluster tenure, is undergoing a search for its new leader.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 5, 2023

Karas' music became a worldwide sensation, leading to a U.S. ad campaign that promised, no kidding, "He'll have you in a dither with his zither!"

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 27, 2015

IN August, the federal Highway Trust Fund runs out of money, and Congress is in a dither.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 30, 2014

I would like to point out that rather than choosing pantsuits in a dither of fashion uncertainty, women are more likely choosing them because they surpass skirts in both comfort and versatility.

From Time Magazine Archive

Now that “Honest Abe” Lincoln had won the presidency, the South was in a dither.

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan

Related Words

• afraid
• agitated
• anxious
• frightened
• hesitant
• jittery
• nervous
• panicky
• scared
• shy
• skittish
• tense
• timid
• uneasy