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
Despite the nail-biting finish, Mizzou did lead by double-digits at one point, jumping to a 10-point advantage in the second half.
—
Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 4 Jan. 2026
On Beaches, fear of Garry Marshall's big screen close-up of my hands on the piano cured me of nail-biting, and now Rob stopped my pot-smoking — all my bad habits were eradicated by America’s leading comedy film directors.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 29 Dec. 2025
These days, the film industry is racked with anxiety about impending corporate mergers, uneven box-office returns, the rise of artificial intelligence and other nail-biting twists.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 24 Dec. 2025
Fresh off a historic state championship title, the Saint Mary's varsity football team is back in Stockton after a nail-biting down-to-the-wire win in Southern California against Bakersfield Christian.
—Charlie Lapastora, CBS News, 16 Dec. 2025
On Saturday, November 22, the third-ever Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix dominated the streets of the city in a nail-biting display of motorsport’s finest talent.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 3 Dec. 2025
When asked what has changed with the Dolphins after Sunday’s 21-17 nail-biting fourth-quarter win against the New Orleans Saints, inside linebacker Tyrel Dodson cut out the fluff and finally shot it straight to the masses.
—Miami Herald, 3 Dec. 2025
Fresh off their bye week, the Broncos held off the Commanders in a nail-biting 27-26 overtime win on Sunday.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 2 Dec. 2025
Another distraction was Saturday night’s Major League Baseball championships, which saw the Los Angeles Dodgers score a victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in a nail-biting Game 7.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 2 Nov. 2025
Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 4 Jan. 2026
On Beaches, fear of Garry Marshall's big screen close-up of my hands on the piano cured me of nail-biting, and now Rob stopped my pot-smoking — all my bad habits were eradicated by America’s leading comedy film directors.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 29 Dec. 2025
These days, the film industry is racked with anxiety about impending corporate mergers, uneven box-office returns, the rise of artificial intelligence and other nail-biting twists.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 24 Dec. 2025
Fresh off a historic state championship title, the Saint Mary's varsity football team is back in Stockton after a nail-biting down-to-the-wire win in Southern California against Bakersfield Christian.
—Charlie Lapastora, CBS News, 16 Dec. 2025
On Saturday, November 22, the third-ever Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix dominated the streets of the city in a nail-biting display of motorsport’s finest talent.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 3 Dec. 2025
When asked what has changed with the Dolphins after Sunday’s 21-17 nail-biting fourth-quarter win against the New Orleans Saints, inside linebacker Tyrel Dodson cut out the fluff and finally shot it straight to the masses.
—Miami Herald, 3 Dec. 2025
Fresh off their bye week, the Broncos held off the Commanders in a nail-biting 27-26 overtime win on Sunday.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 2 Dec. 2025
Another distraction was Saturday night’s Major League Baseball championships, which saw the Los Angeles Dodgers score a victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in a nail-biting Game 7.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 2 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nail-biting
Adjective
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Yet the competitive reality hit hardest during a tense FIBA break.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Davis became the director of CPW in April 2023 and has overseen the state’s controversial and often-tense wolf reintroduction program.—
Elliott Wenzler,
Denver Post,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Neighbors fear rising violence Residents said the shooting has left them uneasy.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Jan. 2026
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But by evening, an uneasy calm had settled across the city.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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According to The Marshall Project, federal officers fired on at least nine people in their vehicles over a four-month period, evidence of a disturbing pattern.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Jan. 2026
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Zhang was quickly identified as a suspect based on her allegedly increasingly disturbing behavior, according to authorities.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Its preliminary conclusions paint a stark and unsettling picture of Good’s final moments.—
Danielle Bacher,
PEOPLE,
22 Jan. 2026
-
The Upside Down itself could have begun seeping into the real world in unsettling ways.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
In Clayton’s and Josephson’s hands, though, the fawn response becomes something more pliable, less a sign of acute threat than a broadly anxious orientation to the world.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Six-year-old Lucas Kincaid of Molalla, Oregon stood with his family to take a final peek in the hulking main telescope beneath the dome in anxious anticipation, snug in his furry hooded jacket like a hibernating bear cub about to meet the Wonderful Wizard of Oz.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
11 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Naturally, Duff was a little nervous for her return to performing.—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
20 Jan. 2026
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And Caroline Renee has a nervous, heartbroken energy as the granddaughter Lucy, who longs to end the family drama before her grandpa dies.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Unlike restless Nora, Agnes is married with a son, able to view her deeply flawed dad from the vantage point of both a daughter and mother.—
Tim Grierson,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Jan. 2026
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Many knitters describe the activity as a way to channel anxious or restless energy into something tangible.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
3 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The bright green shade adds a pop of color, there’s plenty of distressing to give it that antique feel, and the delicate floral details add whimsical details.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
21 Jan. 2026
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Spivey is exceptional, but the series’ leering contempt for his character is unsettling, and after establishing some distressing details, the character’s arc goes in a wildly different direction.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nail-biting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nail-biting. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.
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