fever pitch

American  

noun

1. a high degree of excitement, as of a gathering of people.

   The announcement of victory brought the crowd to fever pitch.

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fever pitch British  

noun

1. a state of intense excitement

   things were at fever pitch with the election coming up

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Etymology

Origin of fever pitch

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

Swift has ties to several US cities and guesswork about the locale has reached fever pitch.

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026

The Knicks’ playoff run has been creating major buzz, which should hit a fever pitch during the Finals.

From MarketWatch • May 26, 2026

In recent weeks, investor appetite has reached a fever pitch and to stave off demand, Rao has had to repeatedly tell investors that the company is “not raising,” Anthropic investors and prospective investors said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

The evening reached a fever pitch with Springsteen’s induction of Patti Smith, who performed “Because the Night,” her biggest hit, with the Boss, the song’s co-writer, in a memorable duet.

From Salon • Apr. 20, 2026

A whirring sound starts—like some kind of turbo jet engine—and rises to a fever pitch.

From "Warcross" by Marie Lu