Meaning & use
too high strung
Last updated
Meaning
adjectivenot comparableinformal
Very nervous, sensitive, or easily upset; more tense than is comfortable.
Grammar: Used after 'be', 'seem', 'get', etc., and before a noun: 'a too high strung person' is less common than 'too high strung to relax'.
Patterns
- be too high strung
- too high strung to do something
- get too high strung
He's too high strung to enjoy a quiet evening; he always needs something to do.
The horse was too high strung for a beginner rider.
After weeks of exams, she felt too high strung to sleep well.
Common combinations
- too high strung to relax
- He was too high strung to relax on the beach.
- get too high strung
- She gets too high strung before every job interview.
- a bit too high strung
- The puppy is a bit too high strung for small children.
Synonyms and how they differ
- nervous
- A general word for feeling anxious; 'too high strung' suggests a lasting personality trait, not just a temporary feeling.
- tense
- Describes tightness or worry, often in a situation; 'too high strung' is more about a person's usual nature.
- uptight
- Informal and slightly disapproving; it often means someone is easily offended or overly strict.
Opposites
Word family
- high-strung adjective
- The base adjective meaning nervous or easily excited.
Commonly confused: too high strung or high-strung?
too high strung vs high-strung
The same meaning without 'too'; 'too high strung' adds the idea that the nervousness is excessive.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'too high strung' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Too high strung' describes a nervous or easily upset creature, so the cat that cannot sit still fits. Option An is a literal misuse about strings; option C confuses it with 'hung'; option D contradicts the meaning by calling him calm.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “too high strung”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.