nervous

adjective

ner·vous | \ ˈnər-vəs

Definition of nervous

1a : timid, apprehensive a nervous smile nervous of strangers

b : easily excited or irritated : jumpy … so nervous that he had to be escorted outside court to vomit …— Kevin Johnson and Andrea Stone

c : of or relating to the nerves also : originating in or affected by the nerves nervous energy a nervous twitch

2a : tending to produce nervousness or agitation : uneasy a nervous situation His face was twisted in nervous anticipation.— Dagoberto Gilb

b : appearing or acting unsteady, erratic, or irregular —used of inanimate things … climbed carefully into his nervous kayak …— Farley Mowat

3 : of, relating to, or composed of neurons

4 : marked by strength of thought, feeling, or style : spirited a vibrant tight-packed nervous style of writing

5 archaic : sinewy, strong

Other Words from nervous Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More About nervous

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Choose the Right Synonym for nervous

vigorous, energetic, strenuous, lusty, nervous mean having or showing great vitality and force. vigorous further implies showing no signs of depletion or diminishing of freshness or robustness. as vigorous as a youth half his age energetic suggests a capacity for intense activity. an energetic campaigner strenuous suggests a preference for coping with the arduous or the challenging. the strenuous life on an oil rig lusty implies exuberant energy and capacity for enjoyment. a lusty appetite for life nervous suggests especially the forcibleness and sustained effectiveness resulting from mental vigor. full of nervous energy

Examples of nervous in a Sentence

She is nervous about her job interview. All this waiting is making me nervous. He gave a nervous glance at the clock. His nervous mother is always worrying that something terrible will happen to him. He has a nervous disposition. It was a very nervous situation. She suffers from a nervous disorder. He walked around with a nervous twitch. He had a nervous habit of pulling at his hair. The boy has a lot of nervous energy.

Recent Examples on the Web The officer noted the man was nervous and sweating profusely. — cleveland, 11 June 2021 The husband was nervous because his promotion might depend on this. — Star Tribune, 4 June 2021 In the days leading up to the graduation, Paxton was nervous. — Carolyn Twersky, Seventeen, 4 June 2021 Those who still feel nervous should consider enrolling in the study, said Khan. — Anna Kuchment, Dallas News, 14 May 2021 Silberberg and his wife would like to travel to Scotland in September for a family wedding but are nervous - both about the potential their immunity will wane and the confusing questions swirling around vaccine passports. — Carolyn Y. Johnson, Anchorage Daily News, 27 May 2021 Protesters have gathered outside schools offering the vaccine, discouraging kids who may already be nervous. — Karen Kaplan Science And Medicine Editor, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2021 Protests have popped up outside schools offering the vaccine, discouraging kids who may already be nervous. — Julie Watson, Star Tribune, 25 May 2021 Protests have popped up outside schools offering the vaccine, discouraging kids who may already be nervous. — Arkansas Online, 25 May 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'nervous.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.