as in tense
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings
for a couple of nail-biting moments we thought that we had actually won the mega lottery
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Recent Examples of nail-biting
Last night, the Dodgers took a 1-0 lead in the NLCS with a nail-biting 2-1 victory over the Brewers.
—
Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
This is also Detroit’s second straight season losing in a nail-biting ALDS Game 5, both times with Skubal on the mound.
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
This is nail-biting stuff, agonizing to sit through.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 6 Oct. 2025
Sometimes the stress of a nail-biting game calls for nervous munching.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 3 Oct. 2025
From nail-biting quick-fire challenges to high-stakes elimination rounds like the show’s signature Restaurant Wars, the judges of Top Chef eat well during filming.
—Karla Walsh, Travel + Leisure, 26 Sep. 2025
But in between nail-biting set pieces, Harlin intercuts flashbacks that shed light on a couple of the Strangers, specifically the childhoods of Scarecrow and Pin-Up Girl.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2025
These appeals largely fell on deaf ears, however, with most Americans more focused on the COVID-19 pandemic and nail-biting 2020 elections than a conflict few had any understanding of.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 21 Sep. 2025
Bahrain’s Formula 1 track—known for long straights and tight corners that encourage nail-biting overtaking—held its first race two decades ago.
—Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 20 Sep. 2025
Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
This is also Detroit’s second straight season losing in a nail-biting ALDS Game 5, both times with Skubal on the mound.
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
This is nail-biting stuff, agonizing to sit through.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 6 Oct. 2025
Sometimes the stress of a nail-biting game calls for nervous munching.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 3 Oct. 2025
From nail-biting quick-fire challenges to high-stakes elimination rounds like the show’s signature Restaurant Wars, the judges of Top Chef eat well during filming.
—Karla Walsh, Travel + Leisure, 26 Sep. 2025
But in between nail-biting set pieces, Harlin intercuts flashbacks that shed light on a couple of the Strangers, specifically the childhoods of Scarecrow and Pin-Up Girl.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2025
These appeals largely fell on deaf ears, however, with most Americans more focused on the COVID-19 pandemic and nail-biting 2020 elections than a conflict few had any understanding of.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 21 Sep. 2025
Bahrain’s Formula 1 track—known for long straights and tight corners that encourage nail-biting overtaking—held its first race two decades ago.
—Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 20 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nail-biting
Adjective
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But as the back-and-forth continued, the discussion became tense.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
14 Oct. 2025
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Just 20 votes are needed to form a majority against him, and the upcoming budget debates will also be crucial and tense.—
Saskya Vandoorne,
CNN Money,
14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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This uneasy detente between Matty and Olympia drives much of the rest of this episode’s plot.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
13 Oct. 2025
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Wichita police are asking for the public’s help identifying a woman reportedly taken by force early Sunday morning — an incident that has left neighbors uneasy.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The Wicker Man boasts a conclusion that is one of the most haunting and disturbing climaxes to a horror film in any era, but the inclusion of Lee as the wicked Lord Summerisle is a casting coup.—
Steven Thrash,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Oct. 2025
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What started as a search for wrapping paper led to a disturbing discovery that left her questioning her relationship with her mother.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Those players must have experienced an extremely unsettling week between coach James Franklin’s abrupt dismissal and starting QB Drew Allar’s season-ending injury.—
Stewart Mandel,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2025
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Witch-burning, frightening folklore, and centuries of war and bloodshed have imparted an unsettling ambience in destinations like Edinburgh.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Hailey, usually the more anxious one, was struck when her typically calm husband brought it up first.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
19 Oct. 2025
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Volunteers became depressed, irritable, anxious, and withdrawn.—
Clayton Dalton,
New Yorker,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Each new round of tariffs rattles markets and makes investors more nervous about what the White House might do next.—
Veronique De Rugy,
Oc Register,
17 Oct. 2025
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When Wright first reached out to Hall, Hall was nervous about working with the shelter.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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That election, which will select members of Iraq's 329-seat parliament, comes amid rising unemployment, which continues to weigh on Iraq's young and restless population.—
Emma Graham,
CNBC,
15 Oct. 2025
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An impressive four-game winning streak followed a lopsided loss at Wazzu that had some natives not just restless but greasing skids and sharpening pitchforks.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Zettel's murder comes years after a restraining order against her daughter expired, following several distressing incidents that Zettel and others reported to authorities.—
David Clarey,
jsonline.com,
14 Oct. 2025
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Sanchez’s family calls it a ‘deeply distressing time’ Sanchez was in the city to work as an analyst on Fox Sports’ broadcast of the Indianapolis Colts’ game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
7 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nail-biting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nail-biting. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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