Meaning
To say or do something that provokes a strong emotional reaction because it touches a sensitive or painful subject.
Origin
The metaphor comes from bodily sensitivity: a nerve transmits sensation, and touching an exposed or painful nerve produces an immediate response. English transfers this physical reaction to emotional vulnerability. A remark can hit a nerve when it reveals an insecurity, recalls a painful experience or touches an unresolved disagreement. The expression is related in imagery to a raw nerve, meaning a particularly sensitive issue. It is not a medical claim about actual nerves in the situation described. The phrase became useful in journalism and ordinary conversation because it concisely explains why an apparently small comment causes a disproportionate response.
Examples
I think my question hit a nerve; he went quiet immediately.
Her comment about his career clearly hit a nerve.
The article hit a nerve with many readers.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'Hit a nerve' mean?
To say or do something that provokes a strong emotional reaction because it touches a sensitive or painful subject.
How do you say 'Hit a nerve' in Russian?
How do you say 'Hit a nerve' in Spanish?
How do you say 'Hit a nerve' in French?
Related idioms
- Get something off your chest
- Take the wind out of someone’s sails
- Get the wrong end of the stick
- Have a bone to pick with someone