Word.ws English Dictionary

on a string

on a string prepositional phrase: under one's control or influence.

Prepositional phrase

  1. Under one's control or influence.
    • The magician had the audience on a string with his fascinating illusions.
    • You've only got my heart on a string and everything a-flutter1984, “No More Lonely Nights”, performed by Paul McCartney
  2. (dated) In a state of great anxiety.

Origin of on a string

Imagery of a puppeteer manipulating a marionette by its strings. Compare pull the strings.

Questions about on a string

What does on a string mean?
On a string means under one's control or influence.
What part of speech is on a string?
On a string is a prepositional phrase.

Words near on a string in the dictionary

  1. on a shoestring
  2. on a silver platter
  3. on a sixpence
  4. on a stick
  5. on a stretch
  6. on a string
  7. on a sudden
  8. on a tear
  9. on a tight leash
  10. on a time
  11. on a whim

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: on a string (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Cite this entry: “on a string.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/on_a_string. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.