Feel your ears burning

usgb
phrase

To suspect or realize that others are talking about you when you are not present.

I felt my ears burning yesterday and, sure enough, I ran into my coworkers who had just been discussing my promotion.
Visual representation of "feel your ears burning" - To suspect or realize that others are talking about you when you are not present

Often appears as...

  • felt my ears burning
  • feel your ears burning

Usage tips

Idiomatic

Definition 1 of 1
Visual representation of "feel your ears burning"
LampPro Tip 1/3

Cultural Expression

It's based on the superstition that burning ears mean someone's talking about you.

Illustration for Cultural Expression
Out of the blue, I started feeling my ears burning, and later I found out my friends threw a surprise party for me.
LampPro Tip 2/3

Figurative Sense

It doesn't involve actual heat—it's about sensing you're being discussed.

Illustration for Figurative Sense
Whenever I miss a family dinner, I always feel my ears burning back at home.
LampPro Tip 3/3

Social Situations

Use it when explaining a hunch or intuition about others talking about you.

Illustration for Social Situations
I walked in late to the meeting and felt my ears burning—the topic had to be my punctuality.
Visual representation of the word "Feel your ears burning"

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