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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nail-biter
This is when the tournament starts to become a real nail-biter.
—
Juliana Kim,
NPR,
10 June 2026
Equally impressive was the nail-biter at Riviera, where there was a four-way tie for the lead at various points in the final round.
—
ABC News,
8 June 2026
From there, the Gators used three pitchers over two innings as Rider turned a runaway into a nail-biter.
—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 May 2026
The Bravos finally dropped their first home series over the weekend, but followed it with a nail-biter of a series opening victory last night in Boston.
—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for nail-biter
Juliana Kim,
NPR,
10 June 2026
Equally impressive was the nail-biter at Riviera, where there was a four-way tie for the lead at various points in the final round.
—
ABC News,
8 June 2026
From there, the Gators used three pitchers over two innings as Rider turned a runaway into a nail-biter.
—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 May 2026
The Bravos finally dropped their first home series over the weekend, but followed it with a nail-biter of a series opening victory last night in Boston.
—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for nail-biter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nail-biter
thriller
Noun
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Then on Thursday, Obsession crossed the $300 million mark at the global box office, setting yet another record for Focus Features, which acquired the horror thriller at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.
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The Braves followed Friday’s thriller with another victory Saturday, defeating the Brewers 4-3 at Truist Park on second baseman Ozzie Albies’ home run.
Cite this Entry
“Nail-biter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nail-biter. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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