on pins and needles

Cultural  

1. In a state of anxiety or tense expectation: “Jackie was on pins and needles waiting to hear about her job application.”

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on pins and needles Idioms  

1. Nervously anxious, as in He was on pins and needles, waiting for the test results. The graphic expression pins and needles for the tingling sensation experienced in recovering from numbness was transferred to a feeling of marked mental uneasiness about 1800.

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Example Sentences

"We're on pins and needles to see if Powell will say anything that suggests they will taper the size of rate increases going forward," Hogan said, referring to Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.

From Reuters • Oct. 31, 2022

“We were on pins and needles wondering, OK, if this virus gets into the mountain gorillas, what’s it going to do?”

From New York Times • Feb. 21, 2022

Fans were already on pins and needles, awaiting word on whether college football’s most coveted transfer was coming to USC.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 24, 2022

“I’m living on pins and needles because I can’t get answers from anybody,” he said.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 4, 2021

“We’re on pins and needles, mate,” said Mother.

From "City Spies" by James Ponti

Related Words

• anxious
• apprehensive
• edgy
• excitable
• fidgety
• jumpy
• panicky
• restless
• shaky
• skittish
• spooked
• tense
• uneasy
• uptight