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

The World Cup final is only days away, and the entire month-long tournament has been an undisputed nail-biter and arguably one of the most fun watchable events of the year. — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 15 July 2026

But even with Messi’s early goal, the game was a nail-biter, with Cape Verde scoring two brilliant goals while their goalie Vozinha made eight saves, including four shots (one of them a free kick) from Messi. — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026

The second half became a nail-biter for a time after Balogun was red-carded and ejected from the game for stepping on an opponent’s ankle. — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026

Colorado’s gubernatorial primary is also proving to be nail-biter. — Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 30 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined above