tear one's hair out
Agonize over something
To tear one's hair out is to be extremely frustrated or anxious about something, especially a problem that seems unsolvable: I've been tearing my hair out trying to fix this bug.
The image is of someone so distressed they literally pull at their own hair.
Often used with "over": She's tearing her hair out over the wedding arrangements.
Overstating beyond reality
- melodramaSensational, emotionally overwrought drama
- theatricsExaggerated dramatic behavior
- dramatizationConverting events to performance
- histrionicsExaggerated emotional behavior
overstatement · figurative · emphatic · expressive · comic effect · venting · cathartic · animated
Lacking ability to cope
- hopelessnessState without hope
- powerlessnessInability to affect outcomes
- despairTotal absence of hope
- panicUncontrollable sudden fear
distress · dismay · overwhelmed · trapped · cornered · at a loss · beside oneself · frantic
Intense weary annoyance
- aggravationState of being vexed
- irritationMild anger or inflammation
- annoyanceState of being bothered
- vexationFrustrated annoyance
impatience · agitation · infuriation · maddening · frazzled · fed up · at wit's end · fuming
Persistent apprehensive distress
- tensionStretched or strained state
- pressureForce upon contact
- strainExcessive stretching force
- worryTroubled mental state
nervousness · edginess · restlessness · frazzled · burnout · overload · cracking up · breaking point
exaggeration
Overstating beyond reality
- melodramaSensational, emotionally overwrought drama
- theatricsExaggerated dramatic behavior
- dramatizationConverting events to performance
histrionics · overstatement · figurative · emphatic · expressive · comic effect · venting · cathartic · animated · demonstrative
helplessness
Lacking ability to cope
- hopelessnessState without hope
- powerlessnessInability to affect outcomes
- despairTotal absence of hope
panic · distress · dismay · overwhelmed · trapped · cornered · at a loss · beside oneself · frantic · distraught
exasperation
Intense weary annoyance
- aggravationState of being vexed
- irritationMild anger or inflammation
- annoyanceState of being bothered
vexation · impatience · agitation · infuriation · maddening · frazzled · fed up · at wit's end · fuming · seething
anxiety
Persistent apprehensive distress
worry · nervousness · edginess · restlessness · frazzled · burnout · overload · cracking up · breaking point · stressed out
tear one's hair outkeep one's cool
Maintain emotional control
stay calm · keep one's head · go with the flow · roll with the punches · take it easy
tear one's hair outroll with the punches
Cope with adversity flexibly
go with the flow · grin and bear it · take it on the chin · shrug it off · water off a duck's back
tear one's hair outjump for joy
Leap from sheer elation
tear, tears, tearing, tearer, ones, hair, hairs, hairy, hairier