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
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
The Packers head into their bye week after a nail-biting 40-40 draw with the Cowboys in Week 4.
—The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 29 Sep. 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
In a nail-biting moment, the committee nearly voted to recommend that states and local jurisdictions require prescriptions for COVID-19 vaccines.
—Adrianna Rodriguez, USA Today, 19 Sep. 2025
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
The Packers head into their bye week after a nail-biting 40-40 draw with the Cowboys in Week 4.
—The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 29 Sep. 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
In a nail-biting moment, the committee nearly voted to recommend that states and local jurisdictions require prescriptions for COVID-19 vaccines.
—Adrianna Rodriguez, USA Today, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nail-biting
Adjective
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Just as demented and tense, but drunk on the confidence of youth and the arrogance to believe that talent and charm is enough.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
7 Oct. 2025
-
California’s 'sanctuary' policies, which limit cooperation between local authorities and federal immigration agencies, further complicate enforcement efforts, creating a tense and often publicized standoff between federal officers and local communities.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
With losses come uneasy fan bases, and with uneasy fan bases come edgy owners with itchy fingers, and with edgy owners and itchy fingers come coaches on hot seats.—
Mike Jones,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
-
As their schemes spiral, father and son are forced into an uneasy alliance to save the family from total implosion.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The private messages offer a disturbing glimpse into how Jones — who is looking to oust incumbent Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares this fall — describes his political adversaries in private conversations.—
Amy DeLaura,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Oct. 2025
-
There were masks and body suits made of female skin, along with human skulls for soup bowls and other disturbing oddities.—
Christopher Rudolph,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Toxic masculinity, of both the younger and older varieties, are on unsettling display in Alejandro Castro Arias’ debut feature, which recently received its world premiere at the Oldenburg International Film Festival.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Oct. 2025
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The news has prompted fears that the services will drive down prices, unsettling local tour operators in Kenya where the tourism sector accounts for 10% of the country’s GDP and employs more than a million people, many working in the safari tours space.—
Martin K.N Siele,
semafor.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Arizonan's are growing anxious as a deal for the federal government shutdown extends into its fourth day.—
Arizona Republic,
AZCentral.com,
5 Oct. 2025
-
Amazon’s October Prime Day is days away, but for anxious shoppers who want to get a head start on saving, there are already plenty of deals to score.—
Shalwah Evans,
PEOPLE,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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But as the departure date neared and the plane tickets hadn’t arrived, Pérez got nervous.—
Melissa Sanchez,
ProPublica,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Children usually accompany the players onto the pitch, wide-eyed youngsters in pristine kits, looking nervous and staring up in awe at Harry Kane or Bukayo Saka or Declan Rice.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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For a time, their relationship is perfect, but soon Asle the sailor feels restless, drawn by the call of the sea, leaving Gerd alone with their child in the village.—
Annika Pham,
Variety,
7 Oct. 2025
-
The company’s movement language—restless, precise, elastic—has built a home for stories that were long told elsewhere, or not at all.—
Skylar Mitchell,
Essence,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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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
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While their Instagram accounts are filled with doting posts about each other, Kwame shared a distressing update about his health in January, revealing that he'd been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nail-biting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nail-biting. Accessed 12 Oct. 2025.
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