nail-biter

noun

nail-bit·​er ˈnāl-ˌbī-tər 

: something (such as a close contest) that induces tension or anxiety

nail-biting

ˈnāl-ˌbī-tiŋ 

adjective

Synonyms of nail-biter

• thriller

Examples of nail-biter in a Sentence

a presidential election that was one of the great nail-biters of all time

Recent Examples on the Web

But the race has not turned into the nail-biter most anticipated, and Democrats outside Georgia are taking notice – at a time when the party is debating how to escape the political wilderness and win back a majority in Congress. — Sam Gringlas, NPR, 27 Aug. 2026

Those results initially made Ossoff’s 2026 reelection campaign appear likely to become another nail-biter. — Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2026

In this nail-biter from Brian De Palma, John Travolta stars as an audio engineer who records a car crash and inadvertently discovers a political scandal. — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Aug. 2026

Instead of the runaway win for El-Sayed, the race turned out to be a nail-biter whose outcome couldn’t be determined until the morning after election night. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined above