nail-biter
noun
nail-bit·er
ˈnāl-ˌbī-tər 
: something (such as a close contest) that induces tension or anxiety
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
In typical nail-biter fashion, the Falcons defeated conference rivals Saints 26-24 with literally seconds to spare yesterday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
—
Thomas Wheatley, Axios, 30 Sep. 2024
After losing Tuesday’s opener on a stunning, game-ending triple-play, trimming the division lead over second-place San Diego to just two games with five to go, the Dodgers responded with two come-from-behind wins, following up Wednesday’s 4-3 nail-biter with a flurry of late scoring Thursday.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2024
The senior ran for 262 yards, plus 35 receiving, in a 30-28 win that become a nail-biter after the Sun Devils led 30-3 late in the third quarter.
—Tom Layberger, Forbes, 16 Sep. 2024
Swift joined the festivities for Patrick after cheering on Kelce and the Chiefs alongside Gordon, as well as familiar faces like Donna Kelce and Haim band members Danielle and Este Haim during the Chiefs' nail-biter win.
—Natasha Dye, Peoplemag, 16 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for nail-biter 
Thomas Wheatley, Axios, 30 Sep. 2024
After losing Tuesday’s opener on a stunning, game-ending triple-play, trimming the division lead over second-place San Diego to just two games with five to go, the Dodgers responded with two come-from-behind wins, following up Wednesday’s 4-3 nail-biter with a flurry of late scoring Thursday.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2024
The senior ran for 262 yards, plus 35 receiving, in a 30-28 win that become a nail-biter after the Sun Devils led 30-3 late in the third quarter.
—Tom Layberger, Forbes, 16 Sep. 2024
Swift joined the festivities for Patrick after cheering on Kelce and the Chiefs alongside Gordon, as well as familiar faces like Donna Kelce and Haim band members Danielle and Este Haim during the Chiefs' nail-biter win.
—Natasha Dye, Peoplemag, 16 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for nail-biter
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nail-biter.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Nail-biter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nail-biter. Accessed 12 Oct. 2024.
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