all wound up
Extremely keyed up
All wound up describes a state of nervous tension, anxiety, or agitation—like a spring coiled tight and ready to release.
Someone who is all wound up may be excited, stressed, or unable to relax: She was all wound up about the interview.
The phrase can also suggest being provoked or worked into an emotional state: Don't get all wound up over nothing.
- tightFirmly stretched or fitting
- coiledArranged in spirals
- chargedFormally accused of crime
- primedMade ready beforehand
- hair triggerUltra-responsive firing mechanism
stressed · strung out · anxious · agitated · climbing the walls · strained · frazzled · overexcited · compressed · hyped · taut · high-strung · jittery · clenched · nervous · bundle of nerves · keyed up · tense
all wound uprelaxed
Free of stress
calm · at ease · laid-back · chilled out · mellow
all wound uplevel-headed
Calm and sensible
composed · cool as a cucumber · collected · unflappable · even-keeled
all, wound, winding, winds, wind, rewind, unwind, unwound, rewound