walk on eggshells

UK/ˌwɔːk ɒn ˈɛɡʃɛlz/US/ˌwɔk ɑn ˈɛɡʃɛlz/US/ˌwɑk-/US/-ɔn-/

verb

To be overly careful in dealing with a person or situation because they get angry or offended very easily; to try very hard not to upset someone or something.

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Meanings

verbwalk on eggshells (third-person singular simple present walks on eggshells, present participle walking on eggshells, simple past and past participle walked on eggshells)

present singular third person walks on eggshells · participle present walking on eggshells · participle past walked on eggshells · past walked on eggshells

  1. idiomaticTo be overly careful in dealing with a person or situation because they get angry or offended very easily; to try very hard not to upset someone or something.
  2. idiomaticTo be careful and sensitive, in handling very sensitive matters.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
tread on eggshells

Origin

1800s usage, probably from the imagery that eggshells are easily broken when stepped upon.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian действам внимателно
  • действам внимателно (dejstvam vnimatelno)to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone
Catalan anar amb peus de plom, anar amb peus de plom
  • anar amb peus de plomto act carefully to avoid upsetting someone
  • anar amb peus de plomto handle sensitive matters delicately
Chinese Mandarin 伴君如伴虎, 謹慎行事
  • 伴君如伴虎 (bàn jūn rú bàn hǔ)to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone
  • 謹慎行事to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone
  • 谨慎行事 (jǐnshèn xíngshì)to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone
  • 如履薄冰 (rú lǚ bó bīng)to handle sensitive matters delicately
Danish gå på æggeskaller
  • gå på æggeskallerto act carefully to avoid upsetting someone
Dutch op eieren lopen, op eieren lopen
  • op eieren lopento act carefully to avoid upsetting someone
  • op eieren lopento handle sensitive matters delicately
Finnish pitää kuin kukkaa kämmenellä, käsitellä silkkihansikkain
  • pitää kuin kukkaa kämmenelläto act carefully to avoid upsetting someone
  • käsitellä silkkihansikkainto handle sensitive matters delicately
French marcher sur des œufs, prendre des pincettes
  • marcher sur des œufsto act carefully to avoid upsetting someone
  • prendre des pincettesto act carefully to avoid upsetting someone
  • prendre des pincettesto handle sensitive matters delicately
  • prendre des gantsto handle sensitive matters delicately
  • mettre des gantsto handle sensitive matters delicately
German einen Eiertanz vollführen, wie ein rohes Ei behandeln
  • einen Eiertanz vollführento act carefully to avoid upsetting someone
  • wie ein rohes Ei behandelnto handle sensitive matters delicately
Hebrew הלך על ביצים
  • הלך על ביציםto act carefully to avoid upsetting someone
Italian camminare sulle uova, andare coi piedi di piombo
  • camminare sulle uovato act carefully to avoid upsetting someone
  • andare coi piedi di piomboto act carefully to avoid upsetting someone
Polish obchodzić się jak z jajkiem, obchodzić się jak z jajkiem
  • obchodzić się jak z jajkiemto act carefully to avoid upsetting someone
  • obchodzić się jak z jajkiemto handle sensitive matters delicately
Portuguese pisar em ovos, pisar em ovos
  • pisar em ovosto act carefully to avoid upsetting someone
  • pisar em ovosto handle sensitive matters delicately
Russian ходи́ть на цы́почках, ходи́ть на цы́рлах
  • ходи́ть на цы́почках (xodítʹ na cýpočkax)to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone
  • ходи́ть на цы́рлах (xodítʹ na cýrlax)to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone
  • ходи́ть по яи́чной скорлупе́ (xodítʹ po jaíčnoj skorlupé)to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone
  • ходи́ть по я́йцам (xodítʹ po jájcam)to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone
  • ходи́ть на цы́почках (xodítʹ na cýpočkax)to handle sensitive matters delicately
  • ходи́ть по я́йцам (xodítʹ po jájcam)to handle sensitive matters delicately
Spanish andar entre algodones, proceder entre algodones
  • andar entre algodonesto act carefully to avoid upsetting someone
  • proceder entre algodonesto act carefully to avoid upsetting someone
  • andar entre algodonesto handle sensitive matters delicately
  • proceder entre algodonesto handle sensitive matters delicately
Ukrainian носитися, як курка з яйцем, бігати, як курка з яйцем
  • носитися, як курка з яйцем (nosytysja, jak kurka z jajcem)to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone
  • бігати, як курка з яйцем (bihaty, jak kurka z jajcem)to act carefully to avoid upsetting someone
Cite this entry
APA

walk on eggshells. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/walk%20on%20eggshells

MLA

“walk on eggshells.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/walk%20on%20eggshells. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “walk on eggshells,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/walk%20on%20eggshells.

Source: walk on eggshells on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.