nerve-racking

adjective

nerve-rack·​ing ˈnərv-ˌra-kiŋ 

variants or nerve-wracking

: extremely trying on the nerves

a nerve-racking ordeal

The job interview was a nerve-racking experience.

Synonyms

• agitating
• anxious
• creepy
• disquieting
• distressful
• distressing
• disturbing
• fraught
• hairy
• nail-biting
• nervous
• restless
• tense
• uneasy
• unnerving
• unsettling
• worrisome

Examples of nerve-racking in a Sentence

the nerve-racking wait to learn the identities of the passengers who were killed in the plane crash

Recent Examples on the Web

Fridays have become some of the most nerve-racking times for mass firings of civil servants since President Donald Trump took office on January 20 and established DOGE. —Nathan Layne, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025

Even when he’s engulfed by neo-Nazi demonstrations, Talwar wants nothing more than to belong — a nerve-racking ethical tug-of-war that introduces a sense of danger. —Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 24 Feb. 2025

Multiple new blazes have erupted in Southern California The Hughes, Sepulveda and Laguna fires are the latest blazes in a nerve-racking week as Southern California heads into a fourth consecutive day of red flag fire weather warnings. —Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 24 Jan. 2025

Getting used to the bare-bones shoot took time, but the nerve-racking encounters started on day one. —Alamin Yohannes, EW.com, 15 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1812, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for nerve-racking

• hydrocracking
• attacking
• backpacking
• backtracking
• hijacking
• kayaking
• meatpacking
• ransacking
• repacking
• unpacking
• backing
• blacking