On tenterhooks
/ɒn ˈtentəhʊks/informalUK · US
What does “On tenterhooks” mean?
On tenterhooks means to be anxiously waiting to find out what will happen
You might be on tenterhooks while refreshing a page for exam results. You cannot settle until you know the outcome.
It can also describe enjoyable suspense in a story. The wording suggests tension, but the situation need not be a real danger.
When do people say it?
Use it for tense waiting, such as waiting for results or the end of a close match. It is more anxious than ordinary curiosity.
“We were on tenterhooks until the audition results arrived.”
Is it formal or informal?
Register: informal. It is most at home in everyday conversation rather than formal writing. Most common in UK and US.
Where does it come from?
Tenterhooks held cloth stretched on a frame. The expression uses that tension as an image for anxious suspense.
Origin confidence: Well documented
How do you say “On tenterhooks” in other languages?
Last updated 2026-11-13