Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
breathe-down-someone's-neck
idiom
/briːð daʊn ˈsʌmwʌnz nɛk/
Definition
To closely monitor someone, often to the point of being intrusive or overbearing.
Examples
- My boss is always breathing down my neck, making it hard to concentrate on my work.
- When I studied for exams, I felt my parents breathing down my neck, wanting to know if I was prepared.
- She didn’t like having her manager breathe down her neck during the project.
Meaning
The phrase implies a sense of pressure or scrutiny, where one person feels constantly watched or judged by another.
Synonyms
- hover over
- pressure
- supervise closely
