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

See Examples For:

fever pitch

The scramble for protective glasses has reached fever pitch across Europe ahead of Wednesday's rare total solar eclipse, as pharmacies, opticians and other shops struggled to keep them in stock.

From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026

As the number of reported infections continued to rise and fears over our favorite seasonal eats reached a fever pitch, the exact source of the outbreak remained a mystery.

From Salon ● Jul. 25, 2026

That passion reached a fever pitch at January’s Australian Open.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026

Interest in the "missing scientists" reached such a fever pitch that the US House of Representatives Oversight Committee and the FBI announced investigations into the cases.

From BBC ● Jun. 2, 2026

He raises one arm up high as the music’s tempo increases to a fever pitch, until I can hardly bear it.

From "Warcross" by Marie Lu