Sometimes, we all feel afraid. It might happen before a big test, during a storm, or when we try something new. People often use idioms to talk about fear in fun or interesting ways. An idiom is a phrase that means something different from the words used. For example, “shaking in your boots” doesn’t really mean your boots are moving it means you’re very scared.
In this article, we’ll look at some common idioms that describe being afraid. You will learn what they mean and how to use them in real life. Then, you’ll try some multiple-choice questions to check your understanding. These idioms will help you understand others better and make your own speaking and writing more colorful. Let’s begin learning these expressions that people use when they talk about fear.
Idioms for Afraid
1. Shaking like a leaf
Meaning: Very scared
Sample Sentences: I was shaking like a leaf before my dentist visit. / She was shaking like a leaf during the thunderstorm.
Other Way to Say: Trembling with fear / Shivering in fear
2. Butterflies in your stomach
Meaning: Nervous or scared feeling
Sample Sentences: He had butterflies in his stomach before the spelling test. / I felt butterflies in my stomach at the new school.
Other Way to Say: Feeling jumpy / Nervous inside
3. Scared stiff
Meaning: So afraid that you can’t move
Sample Sentences: I was scared stiff when the dog barked loudly. / She was scared stiff during the scary movie.
Other Way to Say: Frozen with fear / Couldn’t move
4. Jump out of your skin
Meaning: Get very scared suddenly
Sample Sentences: I almost jumped out of my skin when the balloon popped. / He jumped out of his skin when the alarm rang.
Other Way to Say: Got a big fright / Really startled
5. Heart in your mouth
Meaning: Feeling scared or anxious
Sample Sentences: My heart was in my mouth when the teacher called my name. / I had my heart in my mouth waiting for my turn.
Other Way to Say: Super nervous / Scared and tense
6. Spooked
Meaning: Slightly scared or uneasy
Sample Sentences: I got spooked walking through the woods. / The loud noise spooked my cat.
Other Way to Say: Got creeped out / Felt nervous
7. Afraid of your own shadow
Meaning: Easily scared
Sample Sentences: My little brother is afraid of his own shadow. / She jumps at every little noise she’s afraid of her own shadow.
Other Way to Say: Jumpy all the time / Too scared
8. Cold feet
Meaning: Getting nervous about doing something
Sample Sentences: I got cold feet before my class speech. / She had cold feet before the tryouts.
Other Way to Say: Backed out / Got scared
9. Break into a cold sweat
Meaning: Start sweating because of fear
Sample Sentences: He broke into a cold sweat during the storm. / I was so scared I broke into a cold sweat.
Other Way to Say: Sweating from fear / Nervous sweat
10. Goosebumps
Meaning: A feeling of fear that makes your skin tingle
Sample Sentences: I got goosebumps when I heard the ghost story. / That spooky music gave me goosebumps.
Other Way to Say: Skin tingles / Hair stands up
11. Frozen with fear
Meaning: Too scared to move or talk
Sample Sentences: She was frozen with fear when the lights went out. / I stood frozen with fear when I saw the snake.
Other Way to Say: Couldn’t move / Scared stiff
12. Get the heebie-jeebies
Meaning: Feel nervous or creepy inside
Sample Sentences: That old house gave me the heebie-jeebies. / I get the heebie-jeebies around spiders.
Other Way to Say: Creeped out / Felt weird
13. Hair stood on end
Meaning: Felt very afraid
Sample Sentences: My hair stood on end when I heard the scream. / Her hair stood on end after the loud thunder.
Other Way to Say: Got super scared / Felt chills
14. Scare the daylights out of
Meaning: Frighten someone badly
Sample Sentences: The movie scared the daylights out of me. / That clown scared the daylights out of him.
Other Way to Say: Really scared / Terrified
15. Face like a ghost
Meaning: Look pale because of fear
Sample Sentences: He had a face like a ghost after the loud bang. / She turned as pale as a ghost.
Other Way to Say: White-faced / Looked super scared
16. Lose your nerve
Meaning: Change your mind because of fear
Sample Sentences: I lost my nerve before jumping in the pool. / He lost his nerve before singing.
Other Way to Say: Got too scared / Backed out
17. Freak out
Meaning: Act scared or panicked
Sample Sentences: I freaked out when I saw the spider. / She freaked out during the thunderstorm.
Other Way to Say: Panicked / Got super scared
18. Spine-chilling
Meaning: Very scary
Sample Sentences: That story was spine-chilling. / The scream was spine-chilling.
Other Way to Say: Super creepy / Really scary
19. Wide-eyed
Meaning: Eyes open wide from fear or shock
Sample Sentences: He was wide-eyed during the scary part. / She sat wide-eyed in the dark.
Other Way to Say: Eyes big with fear / Shocked and scared
20. Heart skips a beat
Meaning: Surprised or scared for a second
Sample Sentences: My heart skipped a beat when I heard my name. / Her heart skipped a beat when the dog barked.
Other Way to Say: Got startled / Felt jumpy
21. Knock the wind out of
Meaning: Scare or shock someone suddenly
Sample Sentences: The surprise knock knocked the wind out of me. / The prank knocked the wind out of him.
Other Way to Say: Took my breath away / Got really surprised
22. On edge
Meaning: Feeling nervous or jumpy
Sample Sentences: I was on edge before the test. / He was on edge waiting for the results.
Other Way to Say: Nervous / Tense
23. Panic mode
Meaning: Acting wild or scared
Sample Sentences: I went into panic mode when I couldn’t find my dog. / She was in panic mode during the fire drill.
Other Way to Say: Lost control / Super scared
24. In a cold sweat
Meaning: Sweating because of fear
Sample Sentences: He was in a cold sweat during the thunderstorm. / I woke up in a cold sweat after the nightmare.
Other Way to Say: Sweating from fear / Nervous chills
25. Too scared to speak
Meaning: So afraid you can’t talk
Sample Sentences: I was too scared to speak when I saw the dark figure. / She was too scared to speak in the haunted house.
Other Way to Say: Silent from fear / Couldn’t talk
26. Face turned white
Meaning: Looking pale because of fear
Sample Sentences: His face turned white when he saw the shadow. / My face turned white at the loud crash.
Other Way to Say: Pale with fear / Ghost-faced
27. Scare the pants off
Meaning: Scare someone a lot
Sample Sentences: The haunted maze scared the pants off me. / That story scared the pants off my friend.
Other Way to Say: Super scary / Frightened badly
28. Too scared to move
Meaning: Can’t move because of fear
Sample Sentences: I was too scared to move during the loud thunder. / She was too scared to move when the lights went off.
Other Way to Say: Frozen / Stuck with fear
29. Caught off guard
Meaning: Surprised or scared suddenly
Sample Sentences: The pop quiz caught me off guard. / The dog’s bark caught her off guard.
Other Way to Say: Didn’t expect it / Surprised
30. Biting your nails
Meaning: Feeling nervous or worried
Sample Sentences: She was biting her nails waiting for the results. / I bite my nails when I’m scared.
Other Way to Say: Nervous habit / Worried
31. Jumpy
Meaning: Startled easily
Sample Sentences: I get jumpy during loud storms. / She’s jumpy when the doorbell rings.
Other Way to Say: Easily scared / Nervous
32. Run for your life
Meaning: Run because you’re really scared
Sample Sentences: We ran for our lives when the dog chased us. / He ran for his life from the bees.
Other Way to Say: Got out fast / Escaped quickly
33. Got cold all over
Meaning: Felt fear all through your body
Sample Sentences: I got cold all over during the scary story. / She got cold all over when the lights went out.
Other Way to Say: Full-body fear / Chilly with fear
34. Mind went blank
Meaning: Forgot everything out of fear
Sample Sentences: My mind went blank on stage. / His mind went blank during the fire drill.
Other Way to Say: Forgot everything / Couldn’t think
35. Eyes popped out
Meaning: Very shocked or scared
Sample Sentences: Her eyes popped out when she saw the snake. / My eyes popped out at the loud sound.
Other Way to Say: Very surprised / Shocked
36. Like a deer in headlights
Meaning: Too scared to move or think
Sample Sentences: He stood like a deer in headlights when the teacher called on him. / I felt like a deer in headlights at the loud bang.
Other Way to Say: Frozen / Stuck with fear
37. Walk on eggshells
Meaning: Being very careful because of fear
Sample Sentences: I walked on eggshells around my angry brother. / She walked on eggshells after breaking the vase.
Other Way to Say: Very careful / Nervous
38. Held my breath
Meaning: Waited in fear or worry
Sample Sentences: I held my breath during the scary part of the movie. / She held her breath waiting for the answer.
Other Way to Say: Stayed quiet and nervous / Waited nervously
39. White as a sheet
Meaning: Very pale from fear
Sample Sentences: He turned white as a sheet when he saw the spider. / I was white as a sheet during the storm.
Other Way to Say: Pale with fear / Looked really scared
40. In over your head
Meaning: In a scary or hard situation
Sample Sentences: I was in over my head during the hard test. / She was in over her head during the hike.
Other Way to Say: Feeling trapped / Too much to handle
41. On pins and needles
Meaning: Feeling very nervous
Sample Sentences: I was on pins and needles before my speech. / She was on pins and needles waiting for her turn.
Other Way to Say: Super anxious / Tense
42. Hid behind something
Meaning: Tried to stay hidden from fear
Sample Sentences: I hid behind the couch during the scary part. / She hid behind her mom during the fireworks.
Other Way to Say: Tried to disappear / Wanted to be safe
43. Couldn’t breathe
Meaning: Felt so scared it was hard to breathe
Sample Sentences: I couldn’t breathe when I saw the snake. / He couldn’t breathe from fear in the dark room.
Other Way to Say: Felt tight in the chest / Too scared
44. In a state of shock
Meaning: Very scared or surprised
Sample Sentences: He was in a state of shock after the loud noise. / I was in a state of shock when I saw the crash.
Other Way to Say: Shocked and scared / Not thinking clearly
45. Fear took over
Meaning: Felt fear so strong it controlled you
Sample Sentences: Fear took over when I got lost in the store. / She let fear take over at the dentist.
Other Way to Say: Fear ruled / Too scared to think
46. Hide your face
Meaning: Cover your face because you’re scared
Sample Sentences: I hid my face during the scary part of the movie. / He hid his face when the dog barked.
Other Way to Say: Looked away / Didn’t want to see
47. Voice shook
Meaning: Sounded scared when speaking
Sample Sentences: Her voice shook while reading in front of the class. / My voice shook when I answered.
Other Way to Say: Nervous voice / Shaky talk
48. Run and hide
Meaning: Leave quickly because of fear
Sample Sentences: I wanted to run and hide from the spider. / She ran and hid during the storm.
Other Way to Say: Got away fast / Escaped
49. Tight throat
Meaning: Hard to talk because you’re scared
Sample Sentences: I had a tight throat when I raised my hand. / His throat felt tight before his speech.
Other Way to Say: Hard to speak / Felt nervous
50. Covered your ears
Meaning: Didn’t want to hear something scary
Sample Sentences: I covered my ears during the loud boom. / She covered her ears during the thunder.
Other Way to Say: Blocked out the noise / Didn’t want to hear
51. Stomach dropped
Meaning: Felt scared or surprised suddenly
Sample Sentences: My stomach dropped when I saw my grade. / Her stomach dropped during the roller coaster.
Other Way to Say: Got nervous fast / Felt a jolt
52. Wanted to disappear
Meaning: So scared or shy you wanted to vanish
Sample Sentences: I wanted to disappear after I tripped. / He wanted to disappear when he made a mistake.
Other Way to Say: Felt embarrassed / Wanted to hide
53. Shaky knees
Meaning: Legs feel weak from fear
Sample Sentences: I had shaky knees on stage. / Her knees were shaking before the test.
Other Way to Say: Weak from fear / Couldn’t stand steady
54. Looked over your shoulder
Meaning: Checked behind you out of fear
Sample Sentences: I kept looking over my shoulder walking home alone. / He looked over his shoulder after the noise.
Other Way to Say: Watched out / Felt watched
55. Lost your voice
Meaning: Couldn’t talk because you were scared
Sample Sentences: I lost my voice when it was my turn to speak. / She lost her voice in front of the class.
Other Way to Say: Too scared to speak / Silent from fear
Multiple Choice Questions: Idioms for Afraid
1. What does “shaking in your boots” mean?
A. You are happy and dancing
B. You are scared or nervous
C. You are feeling cold
2. If someone calls you a “scaredy-cat,” what do they mean?
A. You love cats
B. You act tough
C. You get scared easily
3. “Jump out of your skin” means you…
A. get really scared suddenly
B. take off a costume
C. are sleepy
4. What does it mean if your “hair stood on end”?
A. You are in a hurry
B. You are very afraid
C. You forgot to brush your hair
5. If someone “has cold feet,” they are…
A. scared to do something
B. feeling cold
C. walking in the snow
6. What does “butterflies in your stomach” mean?
A. You ate too much
B. You feel excited and nervous
C. You are sick
7. If someone is “white as a ghost,” how do they look?
A. Really happy
B. Very pale from fear
C. Like they saw something funny
8. “Like a deer in headlights” means someone…
A. is scared and frozen
B. is looking at a car
C. is playing a game
9. What does “sweating bullets” mean?
A. You are working out
B. You are hot outside
C. You are really scared or nervous
10. If someone says they “lost their nerve,” what happened?
A. They forgot something
B. They got too scared to do something
C. They went to the doctor
11. What does “feel weak in the knees” mean?
A. You are tired from running
B. You are scared or nervous
C. You hurt your leg
12. If someone “gets the creeps,” what do they feel?
A. Confused
B. Brave
C. Spooked or weirded out
Answer Key
- B. You are scared or nervous
- C. You get scared easily
- A. get really scared suddenly
- B. You are very afraid
- A. scared to do something
- B. You feel excited and nervous
- B. Very pale from fear
- A. is scared and frozen
- C. You are really scared or nervous
- B. They got too scared to do something
- B. You are scared or nervous
- C. Spooked or weirded out
Scoring Guide
12 Correct Answers:
Love Idiom Master! You really understand how people talk about fear. Great work.
8–11 Correct Answers:
Well on your way to understanding fear idioms. Keep learning, you’re almost there!
4–7 Correct Answers:
Room for improvement, but you’re getting there! A little more practice will help.
0–3 Correct Answers:
Let’s explore idioms about fear together. Don’t worry everyone starts somewhere!
Conclusion
Understanding idioms about fear can help you describe how you feel in different moments. These phrases are often used in everyday talking and writing. They make language more fun and interesting.
Now that you’ve learned many idioms and practiced with questions, you’ll notice them more often. Keep using them when you speak or write. That way, you’ll get better at expressing yourself clearly and naturally.
