Synonyms

on edge

Idioms

Tense, nervous, irritable, as in We were all on edge as we waited for the surgeon's report. This expression transfers the edge of a cutting instrument to one's feelings. [Late 1800s] Also see on the edge; set one's teeth on edge.

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.

But the surge in the attacks has many in the industry and the city on edge.

From Barron's

Discussions “on a technical level” will take place next week in Vienna, Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad al-Busaidi said in a post on X. However, markets remained on edge as any potential escalation of tensions could disrupt energy flows.

From The Wall Street Journal

The press and the public were on edge.

From Literature

But people remain on edge, worried about what might come next.

From Salon

Why a $4 billion Blue Owl funding snag has investors on edge.

From MarketWatch

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023