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

After falling behind 2-0 against the Dallas Mavericks, the Heat then won four straight games to earn its first Larry O’Brien Trophy, the deciding game a 95-92 nail-biter on June 20, 2006, in which Wade finished with 36 points and 10 rebounds and was ultimately named NBA Finals MVP. — James Jackson, New York Times, 20 June 2026

Coming off a win in Friday’s nail-biter, Brasher and Cruz clinched a 15-10 win in set one off a late surge, finishing on a 6-1 run. — Ava Dicecca, Sun Sentinel, 14 June 2026

The game was a nail-biter, with the Knicks trailing the Spurs by nearly 30 points at the first half, only to come back in the second half and win in the last minute of the game by one point. — Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 12 June 2026

Not every matchup has been a nail-biter. — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined above