NAIL-BITING Synonyms: 38 Similar and Opposite Words

nail-biting

adjective

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of nail-biting Koontz, who is famously devoted to his dogs, delivers a book of nail-biting suspense that’s packed with emotion, illustrating how an expert blends genres. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 20 Aug. 2026 Monday’s audience was a daytime homecoming, with the natural espadrille wedges supplying a more casual finish following a nail-biting World Cup victory for Spain. — Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 21 July 2026 The nail-biting finish when Egypt almost knocked out Argentina? — Kendra Nordin Beato, Christian Science Monitor, 20 July 2026 Spain defeated Lionel Messi’s Argentina in a nail-biting World Cup final at MetLife Stadium Sunday. — Juan Claudio Matossian, Vanity Fair, 19 July 2026 After drawing with Egypt, Australia's fate came down to a nail-biting penalty shootout. — Juliana Kim, NPR, 16 July 2026 In the Sparks’ previous matchup against the Storm a month ago, the two had totaled 34 points in the nail-biting 88-83 win. — Liana Handler, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026 And after the nail-biting first finish, game two was shaping up to be just as close, with the pair going shot-for-shot until Chris Allen gave the Riot a 17-12 advantage — the largest of the matchup so far. — Ava Dicecca, Sun Sentinel, 5 July 2026 Both teams are coming off nail-biting victories, with Canada scoring in injury time to snatch a 1-0 win from South Africa, and Morocco beating the Netherlands on penalties after trailing 0-1 in the game until the 90th minute. — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 4 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for nail-biting

Adjective

After hours of argument that at times grew tense, a hearing Thursday ended without a ruling from Magistrate Judge Lauren Louis, and the Tates were returned to jail.

— Jonny Hallam, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
In Danbury, protesters have had tense confrontations with ICE officers, who responded at least once with pepper spray, according to activists.

— ABC News, ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of tense

Adjective

Kurt's key takeaways Hearing AI on a 911 call would make a lot of people uneasy.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Falwell correctly sensed vulnerability in the uneasy alliance between rationalism and Christianity that had prevailed since the eighteenth-century Enlightenment.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of uneasy

Adjective

Last awards season, the gossip around town, salacious and disturbing in equal measure, was that hotel suites all over Hollywood were populated by tailors taking in gowns coming straight off the runway.

— Marti Noxon, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
The disturbing situation came to light after a tree fell on the home during a storm.

— Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of disturbing

Adjective

The film follows Niaz (Bakhtadze), a once-famous star of Georgian cinema who embarks on a bizarre and fatalistic odyssey of self-transformation, after an unsettling audition with a young female director looking to cast him in a minor part.

— Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026
Learning from the doctor that your cholesterol levels are higher than recommended can be an unsettling wake-up call.

— Gavin Escott, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of unsettling

Adjective

Being anxious or nervous about this big step in your career is very normal.

— Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 24 Aug. 2026
Super teams share prompts openly, coached by leaders who use the tools themselves, which leaves them markedly less anxious about AI displacing their jobs.

— Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of anxious

Adjective

Nvidia's forecast comes at a time when investors remain nervous about capital expenditures from large tech companies, the circular nature of financing deals and the return from AI investments.

— Kai Nicol-Schwarz,Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
Why bats can pose a rabies risk Rabies spreads through the saliva or nervous tissue of an infected mammal, usually through a bite.

— Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of nervous

Adjective

Sabrina Carpenter’s salacious blend of heartland rock, country, and pop seems versed in Parton’s musically restless Hollywood heyday.

— Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2026
How skipping breakfast affects kids at school Nemours KidsHealth reports that kids who miss the morning meal often feel tired, restless or irritable by midmorning.

— Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of restless

Adjective

Holmes’ jeans also took things to a more polished space thanks to the dark wash and subtle distressing similar to Quince’s subtle barrel style that can be easily dressed up with pumps, just like the actress.

— Shea Simmons, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026
And then there’s the Ren Faire episode, where a McPoyle brothers’ cameo portends a closing joke so distressing my innocent little brain rejected all the warnings of its arrival.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of distressing

Browse Nearby Words

nail-biters

nail-biting

nail (down)

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Nail-biting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nail-biting. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of nail-biting

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

kith

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes