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
The fans had to endure nail-biting conclusions in away victories over Manchester United in August, Everton in December, and Bournemouth and Chelsea in January (in the Carabao Cup).
—
Nnamdi Onyeagwara, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Fellow contenders include Josh Safdie's nail-biting collab with Timothée Chalamet, Marty Supreme, and Joachim Trier's poignant family tale, Sentimental Value, which each earned nine nods, while Chloé Zhao's heartbreaking Hamnet followed with eight.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Mar. 2026
But the auctioning of legendary guitars brought the most money — and swear-inducing, nail-biting stress — to the event.
—Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 15 Mar. 2026
The Boston Terriers men’s basketball team advanced to the Patriot League finals on Sunday with a nail-biting victory over the Navy Midshipmen, 73-72.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 9 Mar. 2026
With 33 total medals and plenty of nail-biting moments, Team USA just delivered its best Winter Games ever.
—Ronnie Li, USA Today, 25 Feb. 2026
There was a nail-biting overtime win, blowout victories both home and away, and moments of individual brilliance.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 21 Feb. 2026
Greaney puts his characters into nail-biting jeopardy, only to pull them out — sometimes — but in realistic ways.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 17 Feb. 2026
This system promises to end nail-biting traffic congestion, delivering a rail-like capacity at bus-fare prices without the traditional cost or construction timelines.
—New Atlas, 17 Feb. 2026
Nnamdi Onyeagwara, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Fellow contenders include Josh Safdie's nail-biting collab with Timothée Chalamet, Marty Supreme, and Joachim Trier's poignant family tale, Sentimental Value, which each earned nine nods, while Chloé Zhao's heartbreaking Hamnet followed with eight.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Mar. 2026
But the auctioning of legendary guitars brought the most money — and swear-inducing, nail-biting stress — to the event.
—Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 15 Mar. 2026
The Boston Terriers men’s basketball team advanced to the Patriot League finals on Sunday with a nail-biting victory over the Navy Midshipmen, 73-72.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 9 Mar. 2026
With 33 total medals and plenty of nail-biting moments, Team USA just delivered its best Winter Games ever.
—Ronnie Li, USA Today, 25 Feb. 2026
There was a nail-biting overtime win, blowout victories both home and away, and moments of individual brilliance.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 21 Feb. 2026
Greaney puts his characters into nail-biting jeopardy, only to pull them out — sometimes — but in realistic ways.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 17 Feb. 2026
This system promises to end nail-biting traffic congestion, delivering a rail-like capacity at bus-fare prices without the traditional cost or construction timelines.
—New Atlas, 17 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nail-biting
Adjective
-
His absence comes at a tense moment in his second term.—
Elena Moore,
NPR,
28 Mar. 2026
-
The park department began managing Fair Park in September, scrambling to transition and set up contracts for services like security and events after a tense split from its previous operator.—
Aria Jones,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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That neighbor also raised concerns about security, saying fewer on-site resources and changes in how calls are handled have left some people feeling uneasy.—
Daniel Wilkerson,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
As the war in Iran stretches into a fifth week, investors who had been hopeful for a quick resolution are growing increasingly uneasy about the real-world fallout from the conflict.—
Tanaya Macheel,
CNBC,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Most disturbing, the largest net loss of IRS filers continues to be among young adults.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
29 Mar. 2026
-
So, yes, Reingold’s story identified some disturbing failures.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The unsolved nature of the Bradley case is unsettling, to say the least.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Mar. 2026
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Skeptics point out oral exams can be unsettling for students who are shy or have serious anxiety, but clarifying the format ahead of time and starting with softball questions can help, says Carolyn Aslan, who leads Cornell’s oral exam training.—
Jocelyn Gecker,
Fortune,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Iran continues to fire missiles at Israel each day, disrupting the lives of millions of anxious and exhausted voters.—
Melanie Lidman,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Investors have grown more anxious about inflation, with Treasury yields rising and consumer surveys showing short‑term price expectations drifting upward.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Who isn’t nervous meeting the prospective in-laws for the first time?—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Jason Bateman delivers the mundane analogy like a pro, blending sincerity and uncertainty inside his singular, nervous vocal rhythms.—
Andy Andersen,
Vulture,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The Leo moon sparks your restless desires for fun and adventure.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
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Deep inside every atom lies a restless world of quarks and gluons—the tiny building blocks that hold everything together, from rocks to stars.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Clinical procedures, including intravenous infusions, are designed to be predictable and minimally distressing.—
Wyles Daniel,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
-
The stalemate stems from Democrats’ insistence on immigration-enforcement reform — particularly, the cruel and often erroneous enforcement that is sending shockwaves of fear throughout immigrant populations and even distressing American-citizen residents of Puerto Rico.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nail-biting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nail-biting. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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