tie oneself in knots

idiom

The phrase "tie oneself in knots" is an idiom that paints a vivid picture of someone becoming mentally or emotionally tangled, much like a rope in a tricky knot.

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Definition

B2General

(informal)To become extremely anxious or confused while trying to explain something or solve a problem.

Example

He tied himself in knots trying to explain the complex procedure.
She tied herself in knots overthinking the situation.

B2General

(informal)To make a situation unnecessarily complicated or difficult by overanalyzing.

Example

Don't tie yourself in knots over the details; just focus on the main points.

Similar

Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "tie oneself in knots":

tied in knots tie in knots tie up bend over backwards tie the knot tie in tied up snarl up get bent out of shape bound up wrap one's head around tie down wriggle out of muddle up lose one's head put oneself about trip up