pins and needles
Americannoun
idioms
noun
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a tingling sensation in the fingers, toes, legs, etc, caused by the return of normal blood circulation after its temporary impairment
-
in a state of anxious suspense or nervous anticipation
Etymology
Origin of pins and needles
First recorded in 1800–10
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He added that he was “on pins and needles, like everybody else.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026
After sitting for a long time, you may find walking difficult or feel pins and needles in your legs.
From Science Daily • Dec. 15, 2025
John Kelly was driving to Dublin for work when he felt a tightness in his chest and pins and needles in his arm.
From BBC • Sep. 24, 2024
“We waited on pins and needles for 12 days,” she said.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2024
He’s been on pins and needles lately, hoping the results of the experiment could land in Nature, one of the leading scientific journals in the world.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
