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

See Examples For:

stage fright

Things came to a head on tour, where her stage fright went into overdrive and she suffered "just terrible, terrible anxiety".

From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026

Steinem, who struggled with stage fright most of her life, talked with women at gigantic conferences and in intimate kaffeeklatsches.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026

In those interviews, he talked about battling stage fright, and the difficulties of balancing touring commitments with family life.

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

Even better, she’s worked through her stage fright.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 3, 2026

More time for us to develop stage fright.

From "Maybe He Just Likes You" by Barbara Dee