Thesaurus.com
Dictionary.com
Definitions

high-strung

[hahy-struhng] / ˈhaɪˈstrʌŋ /
ADJECTIVE
nervous
Synonyms


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

We eagerly drink in the discord because the stakes are illusory, even if the high-strung emotions turn out to be real.

From Salon Jan. 28, 2026

Tom is a law professor and his wife, Amy, is a frustrated and high-strung housewife.

From The Wall Street Journal Dec. 26, 2025

“Everyone’s a little bit high-strung, which is understandable,” said Sara Grimaldi, 22, who has been working on youth voter engagement for a feminist group throughout the campaign.

From Los Angeles Times Nov. 4, 2024

He was young and high-strung, and by his own admission he didn’t handle failure well.

From Seattle Times Apr. 29, 2024

His chestnut pony, Starburst, is as spirited and high-strung as Rainbow is gentle and sweet.

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood




Vocabulary lists containing high-strung


Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training