ON TENTERHOOKS Synonyms: 77 Similar and Opposite Words

on tenterhooks

phrase

Definition of on tenterhooks

as in nervous

feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty He's been on tenterhooks in anticipation of his acceptance letter.

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of on tenterhooks In practice, however, most inmates are left on tenterhooks in solitary confinement for years — and sometimes decades — with sometimes severe consequences for their mental health. — CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026 Readers, like the sentence and the plot, are on tenterhooks about what comes next. — Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for on tenterhooks

on edge

Phrase

Despite the comfortable five-run lead, Walker put the sellout crowd on edge by allowing a pair of back-to-back singles.

— Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 28 Aug. 2026
The magnitude of all of Nvidia's financial commitments — from financing to strategic agreements to equity investments — has had Wall Street on edge.

— Zev Fima, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of on edge

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on-target

on tenterhooks

on the alert

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“On tenterhooks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/on%20tenterhooks. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of on tenterhooks

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