high-strung

[ hahy-struhng ]

adjective

1. at great tension; highly excitable or nervous; edgy:

   high-strung nerves; a high-strung person.

   Synonyms: uptight, jittery, edgy, jumpy, temperamental, tense

Word History and Origins

Origin of high-strung¹

First recorded in 1740–50

Example Sentences

Smith is miscast as Myrtle, for a start: Her onstage bearing exudes a homely approachability rather than high-strung poise or inscrutable aloofness.

From New York Times

Jeremy Allen White, who portrays the high-strung lead chef in “The Bear,” won his first Emmy for best actor in a comedy.

From New York Times

Oliver is one of those dog people, by the way – a bulldog lover who acts like a high-strung terrier.

From Salon

But he also thought Dasch was unstable and high-strung with grandiose ideas of himself.

From Literature

Though Ferguson is best known for playing the high-strung lawyer Mitchell Pritchett on the ABC sitcom “Modern Family,” he was a regular on New York’s Off Broadway stages before turning to the small screen.

From New York Times

Related Words

• excitable
• restless