rigid · uptight · high-strung · nervous · clock · wound · spiral · strung · compressed · pressure · snapping · brittle · clenched · overwound · mainspring · restless · edgy · keyed-up
IDEA.org / Words / tightly wound
Related — tense (Strained or nervous); coiled (Arranged in spirals); spring (Recoiling metal spiral); anxious · stressed · rigid · uptight · high-strung · nervous · clock · wound · spiral · strung
physical tensiontightly wound ≠ unwound Released from coils; slack · loose · uncoiled · relaxed · limp
psychological temperamenttightly wound ≠ laid-back Calm and unhurried; relaxed · easygoing · mellow · calm · chill
Word data: Linguabase (CC0) · www.idea.org/words/tightly_wound