always on edge

Meanings

1. 1phrasefixed phrase

   nervous, tense, or easily upset most of the time.

   Grammar: Used after 'be' or 'feel': She is always on edge. Not used before a noun.

   Patterns

   • be always on edge
   • feel always on edge
   • seem always on edge

   Since the accident, he has been always on edge and jumps at loud noises.

   She is always on edge before exams and cannot relax.

   You seem always on edge these days; is something worrying you?

2. 2phrasefixed phrase

   in a state of worried anticipation, as if something bad might happen at any moment.

   Grammar: Often followed by 'about' or 'because of': always on edge about money.

   Patterns

   • always on edge about something
   • always on edge because of something

   The whole office was always on edge about the coming job cuts.

   He is always on edge because of the constant deadlines.

Common combinations

be always on edge

She has been always on edge since she lost her job.

feel always on edge

I feel always on edge when I have too much to do.

always on edge about money

They are always on edge about money.

Synonyms and how they differ

tense

Tense is a more general adjective for nervousness; always on edge stresses that the feeling continues over time.

anxious

Anxious often includes worry about something specific; always on edge suggests a constant state of nervous readiness.

jumpy

Jumpy means easily startled; always on edge is broader and can mean nervous or irritable.

Opposites

Word family

edge noun

In this phrase, 'edge' refers to a tense, nervous state.

Commonly confused: always on edge or on the edge?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “always on edge”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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