Entry Word: nervous

Function: adjective

Meaning: 1 feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty <he was nervous about how he would do at the varsity basketball tryouts>

Synonyms aflutter, anxious, dithery, edgy, het up, hung up, jittery, jumpy, nervy, perturbed, tense, troubled, uneasy, unquiet, upset, uptight, worried

Related Words aggrieved, bothered, concerned, disquieted, distraught, distressed, disturbed; apprehensive, foreboding, hesitant, misgiving; fretful, fretting, stewing, vexed; qualmish, qualmy; flustered, twittered, undone, unnerved, unstrung; obsessed, preoccupied, restless; fidgety, flighty, fluttery, high-strung, skittish, spooky

Phrases keyed up, on edge, on pins and needles

Near Antonyms confident, self-assured, self-confident, sure; controlled, self-controlled

Antonyms calm, collected, cool, easy, nerveless, relaxed

2 marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings <a nervous silence filled the room as the teacher handed out the graded exams>

Synonyms agitating, anxious, disquieting, distressful, distressing, disturbing, restless, tense, unnerving, unsettling, worrisome

Related Words bothersome, troublesome; foreboding, misgiving; discouraging, disheartening, strained; restive, restless, unrestful; awkward, embarrassing

Near Antonyms restful; pacific

Antonyms calming, comfortable, easy, peaceful, quiet, quieting, tranquil

3 easily excited by nature <a nervous sort of person, sheʼs completely thrown by anything unexpected> — see excitable