Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

nervous wreck

noun
See What's Trending Now See More Trending Words

Definition of nervous wreck

informal
: a person who is very worried or nervous about something
  • Before the wedding the bride's father was a nervous wreck.

Word by Word Definitions

nervous play

  1. : sinewy, strong

  2. : marked by strength of thought, feeling, or style : spirited

  3. : of, relating to, or composed of neurons

See the full definition of nervous
wreck play

  1. : something cast up on the land by the sea especially after a shipwreck

  2. : shipwreck

  3. : the action of wrecking or fact or state of being wrecked : destruction

  1. : to cast ashore

  2. : to reduce to a ruinous state by or as if by violence

  3. : shipwreck

See the full definition of wreck

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up nervous wreck? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

traduce

play

to lower or disgrace the reputation of

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. lowlife 'a person of low moral character'

  2. kakistocracy 'government by the worst people'

  3. slimeball 'a morally repulsive or odious person'

  4. salacious 'arousing or appealing to sexual desire'

  5. oligarch 'government in which a small group exercises control'

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

image236659401
Words from Letters in the Greek Alphabet

When English borrows from another alphabet

alt-5ada140ed3e28
'Preventive' or 'Preventative'?

Why not both?

alt-5ad8fc71357ed
Words We're Watching: 'Bluebeard,' the Verb

No, it's not a coiffure trend

alt-5ad8d3361fb97
Where 'Cliff-hangers' Come From

You're on the edge of your seat

Ask the Editors

image1760257654
2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

How we chose 'feminism'

video-title-words-of-the-year-1066
Words of the Year: 1066

Or, Why Pig Meat is Called 'Pork' and Cow Meat is Called 'Beef'

video-literally
Literally

How to use a word that (literally) drives some people nuts.

video-his-or-her
Is Singular 'They' a Better Choice?

The awkward case of 'his or her'

Word Games

image1926873504
Odd Habits and Quirks Quiz

Test your knowledge of strange human behaviors.

Take the quiz
cats-on-impossible-timber
More Confusing Words—Quiz

How many of these commonly confused words do you know?

Take the quiz
Spell It
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

Take the quiz
SCRABBLE® Sprint
SCRABBLE® Sprint

SCRABBLE® fans, sharpen your skills!

Play the game