breathe down someone's neck
Monitor too closely
To breathe down someone's neck is to monitor them so closely they feel pressured or uncomfortable—like standing close enough that your breath reaches their neck.
A supervisor breathes down an employee's neck by constantly checking their work.
Stop breathing down my neck and let me finish.
The phrase can also mean to pursue closely: The second-place team is breathing down their necks.
- dominateControl through superior strength
- hoveringSuspended without support
- superviseDirect and watch others
- hawk eyeExceptionally keen vision
- stressPressure, mental or vocal
monitor · scrutinize · crowding · too close for comfort · encroaching · personal space · observe · looming · anxiety · shadow · oversee · pressing · tension · enforce · discomfort · watch · unease · close
breathe down someone's neckleave alone
Refrain from disturbing
back off · hands-off · let be · laissez-faire · step back
breathe, breath, breathing, breather, breathless, breathlessly, breathlessness, breathable, downer