high strung
[adjective]
Synonyms: tense, overstrung, taut, tight, unrelaxed, uptight, nervous, fidgety, goosey, jittery, jumpy, nervy, spooky, twittery, unrestful

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

high-strung adjective

1. (of a person or an animal) nervous and easily upset
   Synonyms nervousnervous

   • neurotic
   • on edge
   • jittery

   These words all describe people who are easily frightened or are behaving in a frightened way.

   • nervous easily worried or frightened:
     • ● He was of a nervous disposition.
     See also the entry for worried.
   • neurotic not behaving in a reasonable, calm way, because you are worried about something:
     • ● She became neurotic about keeping the house clean.
   • on edge nervous or easily made angry:
     • ● She was always on edge before an interview.
   • jittery (informal) anxious and nervous:
     • ● All this talk of job losses was making him jittery.

   Patterns

   • a nervous/neurotic man/woman/girl
   • to feel nervous/on edge/jittery
   • a bit nervous/on edge/jittery
   Collocations: High-strung is used with these nouns:

   • temperament

[TahlilGaran] English Dictionary ▲

high strung
adj. Nervous; sensitive; tense.
Gary has been rather high-strung lately because of too much work at the office.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲