stage fright

American  

noun

1. nervousness felt by a performer or speaker when appearing before an audience.

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stage fright British  

noun

1. nervousness or panic that may beset a person about to appear in front of an audience

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stage fright Idioms  

1. Acute nervousness when performing or speaking before an audience, as in When John first had to present his findings to the board of directors, stage fright made him stutter. [Second half of 1800s]

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Etymology

Origin of stage fright

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

The rapper and singer will.i.am has played hundreds of shows and sold millions of records, but his latest debut—as a professor of a college class about artificial intelligence—gave him stage fright.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026

Robbie has spoken openly about suffering from stage fright in the past, experiencing terror before walking on stage.

From BBC • Feb. 4, 2026

Here, she discusses the jazz warm-up she’s used for decades, dealing with stage fright and loving the divas she plays.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 17, 2025

However, until 2016, when Carpenter first toured with his music, he was consumed with stage fright.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 23, 2025

He is in a constant state of stage fright, he says, because he never knows what part of his life he is going to have to act in next.

From "Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut