as in thriller
something (as a close contest) that induces much suspense as to its outcome
a presidential election that was one of the great nail-biters of all time
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Recent Examples of nail-biter
As spooky season approaches, there’s no better time than now to revisit these classic nail-biters—and revel in their impeccable period styling.
—
Radhika Seth, Vogue, 13 Sep. 2025
In Sunday’s vote, the Peronists trounced Milei’s right-libertarian party by a staggering 47% to 34%, a far cry from the nail-biter that many pollsters had predicted.
—Miami Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
The Dallas Cowboys dropped a 24-20 nail-biter to the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL season opener Thursday at Lincoln Financial Field.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Sep. 2025
Across major corn-growing states, climate change is fueling conditions that make watching the corn grow a nail-biter for farmers.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nail-biter
Radhika Seth, Vogue, 13 Sep. 2025
In Sunday’s vote, the Peronists trounced Milei’s right-libertarian party by a staggering 47% to 34%, a far cry from the nail-biter that many pollsters had predicted.
—Miami Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
The Dallas Cowboys dropped a 24-20 nail-biter to the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL season opener Thursday at Lincoln Financial Field.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Sep. 2025
Across major corn-growing states, climate change is fueling conditions that make watching the corn grow a nail-biter for farmers.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nail-biter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nail-biter
thriller
Noun
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After the parade came the rally at the stadium, which a week ago featured an 18-inning thriller in Game Three — tying it for the longest World Series game ever.—
Steve Futterman,
NPR,
4 Nov. 2025
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The supernatural thriller follows Bua, a woman pushed to her breaking point after nearly losing her job and facing the inability to pay for her blind sister’s treatment.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nail-biter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nail-biter. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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