ants in pants

A

ants in pants (metaphor)
/ˈænts ɪn pænts/

Meaning

• Be extremely restless.
• To be very excited or worried about something.
• Feel uneasy, impatient, or anxious.
• Unable to keep still.
• Extremely agitated or uneasy about something.

Example Sentences

1. The young students just can’t sit still; they must have ants in their pants.
2. The children are always jumping out of their seats and running all around. They seem to have ants in their pants.
3. She was very excited to be going to the party that night and had ants in her pants all day.
4. Can’t you sit still for a minute? Do you have ants in your pants?
5. He had ants in his pants – he could not wait to get started on his new adventure trip.
6. His five-year-old daughter has ants in her pants. She keeps running around and can never keep still for a moment.
7. He was looking forward to the expedition and had ants in his pants, but we were not supposed to start for another couple of hours.
8. He had ants in his pants when he learned that he had been selected for the program.
9. He had ants in his pants waiting for the news and jumped every time he heard someone walk by the door.

Origin and History

The phrase “ants in your pants” is commonly used to describe someone who is extremely restless, fidgety, or unable to stay still, much like how one would react if ants were actually inside their clothing. The expression evokes a vivid image of discomfort leading to constant movement.​

Literal Interpretation

The most straightforward theory suggests that the idiom originates from the literal experience of having ants inside one’s clothing. If ants were to get into someone’s pants, it would naturally cause agitation and restlessness, leading the person to squirm or move about to alleviate the discomfort. This literal scenario likely gave rise to the figurative use of the phrase to describe restless behavior. ​

Association with “Antsy”

The term “ants in your pants” is believed to have influenced the development of the word “antsy,” which means nervous or restless. The progression from the vivid imagery of ants causing discomfort to the concise term “antsy” illustrates the evolution of language in capturing human sensations and behaviors.

Earliest Recorded Usage

The exact origin of the phrase is somewhat ambiguous, but evidence points to its emergence in American English during the early 20th century. One notable instance is from humorist H. Allen Smith’s 1945 book “Life in a Putty Knife Factory,” where he describes a character as dilating her nostrils “the way Valentino used to do it in the silent movies to indicate that he had ants in his pants.” This usage suggests that the phrase was already in colloquial use by that time.

Cultural Impact

The idiom’s vivid imagery has permeated various aspects of culture. For instance, the 1936 short film “Ants in the Pantry” by The Three Stooges plays on the phrase, depicting scenarios where the characters deal with actual ants causing chaos. Additionally, the children’s game “Ants in the Pants,” introduced in 1969, involves players making plastic ants jump into a pair of pants, further cementing the phrase in popular culture.

Synonyms

1. have itchy feet
2. get cold feet (in specific contexts, like nervous anticipation)
3. be like a cat on a hot tin roof
4. bounce off the walls

Variants

• ants in the pants
• got ants in your pants
• got ants in my pants
• get ants in your pants
• feel like you’ve got ants in your pants

About the Author

Elena Jones holds a PhD in Education from Harvard University. She has extensive experience teaching at both the K–12 and university levels, with a particular focus on English as a Second Language. Elena has dedicated her career to advancing educational practices, and she has contributed to numerous educational journals.

Anxious