idiom · informal
have butterflies in one's stomach
UK/hæv ˈbʌtəflaɪz ɪn wʌnz ˈstʌmək/US/hæv ˈbʌtərflaɪz ɪn wʌnz ˈstʌmək/BUT·ter·FLIES in one's STOM·ach
to feel nervous or anxious, especially before an important event
Examples
“Before the interview she had butterflies in her stomach.”
“He always gets butterflies in his stomach before presenting.”
“Talking in public gives me butterflies in my stomach every time.”
Band 8 sentence
“Even though she had practised for weeks, she admitted to having butterflies in her stomach the moment she stepped onto the stage.”
Collocations
- have/get butterflies in one's stomach
- have butterflies before/for
Word family
Common mistakes
I have butterflies in stomach.→I have butterflies in my stomach.
I feel butterfly in my stomach.→I have butterflies in my stomach.
I had butterflies.→I had butterflies in my stomach.
Say it for a higher band
5nervous→6anxious→7+have butterflies in one's stomach
Synonyms
feel nervous
be anxious
Easily confused
be nervous
“She was nervous before the audition.”
be excited
“He was excited about the trip.”
Related words
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In Health
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