nerve-racking

adjective

ˈnərv-ˌra-kiŋ How to pronounce nerve-racking (audio)
variants or nerve-wracking
Definition of nerve-rackingnext
as in uneasy
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings the nerve-racking wait to learn the identities of the passengers who were killed in the plane crash

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 nerve-racking That’s the nerve-racking part of this (World Cup); the watching, the waiting. — Michael Silver, New York Times, 23 June 2026 Feeling the weight of an entire country seems like a nerve-racking prospect, but the women of BINI take it in stride. — Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 17 Apr. 2026 One of the most dangerous and nerve-racking parts of the Artemis II mission is still ahead. — Tom Costello, NBC news, 10 Apr. 2026 Whitaker is just starting his first year, but is that nerve-racking to know as an actor? — Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 10 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for nerve-racking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nerve-racking
  1. uneasy
  2. disturbing
  3. tense
  4. nervous
  5. anxious
  6. unsettling
  7. distressful
  8. unnerving
Adjective
  • That uneasy feeling settles over the rest of Infinite Now like suffocating humidity.
    — Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Some support industrial policy but are uneasy about framing it principally around competition with China.
    — THOMAS WRIGHT, Foreign Affairs, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of uneasy
Adjective
  • One of the most disturbing reasons given was that the DOT will never install a speed reducer closer than a distance of 1,000 feet (nearly a quarter of a mile) from a speed camera.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Family members reported objects disappearing, beds lifting, unexplained odors, and other disturbing occurrences in the house.
    — Frannie Comstock, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of disturbing
Adjective
  • Although a tense urban peace has taken hold since then, many residents of Paris, Toulouse, Marseille and other cities beset by riots still feel under siege, much like Los Angeles after the 1992 riots.
    — Michael Finnegan, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The story opens with an incredibly tense first scene, with Jimmy Stewart’s Scottie chasing a suspect across rooftops in San Francisco.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of tense
Adjective
  • Meyers' thinking is that as the odds go up of a Democratic party win, investors are getting more nervous about parts of the artificial intelligence trade.
    — Jason Gewirtz, CNBC, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Later on, after the guests have left, this cheating convention makes Kaylee nervous.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of nervous
Adjective
  • Rushing to your appointment, feeling anxious, or drinking caffeine can raise your blood pressure.
    — Brandi Jones, Verywell Health, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Many in Iran are anxious about a possible return to all-out war.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of anxious
Adjective
  • Jess Alder says dollhouse props fly off shelves, and the old building’s creaks can make closing time a little unsettling.
    — Josh Davis, Baltimore Sun, 30 Oct. 2026
  • So on Wednesday, after a full day of quiet, more people than usual were out on the streets in Kherson, enjoying the short glimpse of peaceful life, though many said the calm still felt unsettling.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of unsettling
Adjective
  • If the prospect of being speedily dismissed by Pat Murphy’s gang is a downer for the Rays’ faithful, a 4-0 door-slam may be even more distressful to Fox and its advertising partners.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Carrying debt can be incredibly distressful, especially with sky-high prices for food, gas and housing.
    — Mallika Mitra, Sacbee.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of distressful
Adjective
  • The first confirmation of their mutual attraction arrives abruptly in chapter six, which begins with an unnerving in medias res scene of Azriel and Elain engaged in a secret makeout session.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2026
  • There’s no evidence for this, though the lack of transparency from Russia is unnerving.
    — Faye Flam, Scientific American, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of unnerving

Browse Nearby Words

nervelessly
nerve-racking
nerves
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Cite this Entry

“Nerve-racking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nerve-racking. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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