1
as in worried
feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty
he was nervous about how he would do at the varsity basketball tryouts
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in uneasy
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings
a nervous silence filled the room as the teacher handed out the graded exams
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in excitable
easily excited by nature
a nervous sort of person, she's completely thrown by anything unexpected
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nervous
One bizarre experience in particular had left several of them somewhat nervous.
—
Karen Hao, Wired News, 21 May 2025
His mom wanted to host a big party at the house, but Brock, nervous and overwhelmed, insisted that the gathering be kept small unless and until he was actually drafted.
—Michael Silver, New York Times, 20 May 2025
The amino acid plays a role in many bodily processes, from supporting the nervous and immune systems to regulating cellular function.
—Jamie Ducharme, Health, 20 May 2025
This summer, Charlie Brown is determined to make his final year at camp special, but Sally — a noob camper — is nervous about the new and unfamiliar place.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for nervous
Karen Hao, Wired News, 21 May 2025
His mom wanted to host a big party at the house, but Brock, nervous and overwhelmed, insisted that the gathering be kept small unless and until he was actually drafted.
—Michael Silver, New York Times, 20 May 2025
The amino acid plays a role in many bodily processes, from supporting the nervous and immune systems to regulating cellular function.
—Jamie Ducharme, Health, 20 May 2025
This summer, Charlie Brown is determined to make his final year at camp special, but Sally — a noob camper — is nervous about the new and unfamiliar place.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for nervous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nervous
Adjective
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However, because the pool was shallow, Lisberg was less worried.—
Raven Brunner,
People.com,
25 May 2025
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There are signs that some in Israel are worried about the consequences of its actions in Gaza.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
24 May 2025
Adjective
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In the wake of multiple plane crashes, and amid erratic federal policies and denials and detentions at border crossings, summer travel in the U.S. is in an uneasy state.—
Kevinisha Walker,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2025
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To the south, there’s the United Arab Emirates, where again, there has been an uneasy relationship at times.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
Adjective
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Anyone familiar with the world of the Grateful Dead knows that one of the band’s most devoted and excitable fans was the late Bill Walton, the illustrious Hall of Fame NBA center who died in May 2024 at 71.—
David Browne,
Rolling Stone,
15 May 2025
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Groups of excitable teenage boys waited their turn to play EA FC on a bank of massive flat screen TVs.—
James Montague,
New York Times,
18 May 2025
Adjective
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In the novel’s historical re-creation, is there an anxious note to Americans now losing themselves in accommodation?—
David Denby,
New Yorker,
23 May 2025
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An inaccurate diagnosis might lead to unnecessary or risky treatment, and a false positive can cause stress by requiring additional tests and anxious waits for results.—
Max Votek,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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But recently, her videos detailing her tense, hours-long encounter with Customs at MIA went viral.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2025
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The lunch came at a tense time for the family as Patterson's relationship with her estranged husband had been deteriorating.—
Chloe Mayer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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Local fans were also upset at how ticketing was organised, with empty seats in temporary stands at their Montilivi ground for most games.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
New York Times,
2 June 2025
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When the Eaton and Palisades fires sparked in January — respectively the second- and third-most destructive in California history — familiarity, friend groups and routines were upset for Emory and many of her peers.—
Emma Bowman,
NPR,
2 June 2025
Adjective
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Nothing has officially happened yet, but the tension is disturbing with the consequences potentially devastating.—
Mac Engel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 May 2025
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That’s a quite disturbing possibility since AGI could wield such an act on a scale of immense magnitude and with globally adverse consequences.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
Adjective
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However, those apprehensive about near-term volatility should contemplate suitable strategies, such as the Trefis High Quality (HQ) Portfolio strategy, featuring a selection of 30 stocks, that has a history of comfortably outperforming the S&P 500 over the previous four-year span.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2025
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Tammy, 38, was apprehensive about her younger sister's quick engagement.—
Ashlyn Robinette,
People.com,
14 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nervous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nervous. Accessed 7 Jun. 2025.
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