wound-up
Tight as clockwork
Wound-up describes a state of nervous tension or anxious anticipation.
Someone who is wound-up is agitated, stressed, or unable to relax: She was too wound-up to sleep before the interview.
The image comes from a clockwork mechanism tightened to the point of maximum stored energy.
Children may be wound-up from excitement rather than anxiety: The kids were all wound-up after the party.
Overwhelmed by pressure
- edgyTense and irritable
- nervousUneasy and apprehensive
- jitteryAnxiously restless
- restlessUnable to be still
on-edge · irritable · fidgety · tight · strained · overwrought · twitchy · uneasy
stressed
Overwhelmed by pressure
restless · on-edge · irritable · fidgety · tight · strained · overwrought · twitchy · uneasy · agitated
clockwork
Spring-driven gear system
tightened · tensioned · mainspring · key · crank · toy · mechanism · gears · spindle · ratchet
hyperactive
Excessively energetic, easily distracted
- animatedFull of life, or drawn moving
- livelyAnimated and energetic
- exuberantIntensely lively and cheerful
excitable · buzzing · amped · fired-up · raring · eager · pumped · hyper · restless · bouncy