hair standing up
Follicles going vertical
Hair standing up describes the involuntary erection of body hair, triggered by cold, fear, or strong emotion.
The phenomenon occurs when tiny muscles at hair follicles contract, creating goosebumps.
The phrase often signals a visceral reaction to something eerie or thrilling: The ghost story made the hair stand up on the back of my neck.
It can also describe hair that won't lie flat: He woke with his hair standing up in all directions.
- goosebumpsRaised skin from cold
- goose bumpsPrickling skin from chill
- bristlingStanding stiffly outward
- prickleTiny sharp point
- chillCold sensation or relaxation
fear · static · electricity · hackles · fright · shivers · tingling · erect · spiky · startled · alarmed · fight or flight · creepy · eerie · cold · creepy crawly · shock · terror
- body reactionssweating, blushing, shiver, goosebumps, twitch
- body responsesfight, flight, shivering, freeze, goosebumps
- static electricitystatic cling, electric charge, static buildup, electrostatic, triboelectric
- gut feelingsgut feeling, gut instinct, gut reaction, hunch, instinct
hair standing uprelaxed
Free of stress
calm · at ease · composed · unstimulated · unalarmed
hair standing upunmoved
Not stirred physically/emotionally
indifferent · emotionally flat · bored · unaffected · numb
hair, hairs, haired, hairy, hairiness, hairless, stand, stands, standing