high-strung.

Temperamentally tense, sensitive, and readily upset or excited.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• a high-strung temperament
• a high-strung horse
• seem high-strung

On the page

The high-strung violinist heard criticism in every suggestion.

Training helped the high-strung horse tolerate traffic.

He was high-strung, but he stayed remarkably practical during emergencies.

Usage notes

Primary category: fear. Usually a temperament judgment rather than a momentary fear description; can sound dismissive. High-strung is especially American; highly strung is the British equivalent. Gradable with more/most high-strung. Regional equivalent: highly strung (not a separate count).