variants
or nerve-wracking
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nerve-racking
The man, who narrowly avoided a severe bear attack, gets to leave the frightening incident with a nerve-racking animal encounter story to share with his friends.
—
Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
Zero computer intervention is fun, without a doubt, but also a little nerve-racking when small drifts of gravel dot the road and undulations in the asphalt can cause momentary losses in traction.
—Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
To make for a more energy efficient and less nerve-racking exodus experience, once the line grows large enough, pulsing begins, wherein vehicles move in packs rather than lurch along at 5 mph.
—Denver Nicks, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2025
With a meditation tape on and old nightmares in his head, the images flicker between ocean waves and nerve-racking curves, from zen calm to zen focus.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for nerve-racking
Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
Zero computer intervention is fun, without a doubt, but also a little nerve-racking when small drifts of gravel dot the road and undulations in the asphalt can cause momentary losses in traction.
—Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
To make for a more energy efficient and less nerve-racking exodus experience, once the line grows large enough, pulsing begins, wherein vehicles move in packs rather than lurch along at 5 mph.
—Denver Nicks, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2025
With a meditation tape on and old nightmares in his head, the images flicker between ocean waves and nerve-racking curves, from zen calm to zen focus.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for nerve-racking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nerve-racking
Adjective
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Rather than offering peace of mind from pest invasion, the chemical control process often leaves families feeling uneasy about what has been introduced so indiscriminately into their environment.—
Malana VanTyler,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Cuomo led early polls, buoyed by name recognition and a coalition of moderate Democrats uneasy with the party’s leftward drift.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Despite already having declared her candidacy, McKnight voiced disturbing and violent threats against Sheehy.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Nov. 2025
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This story contains a description of a shooting some readers may find disturbing.—
Omar Jimenez,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The lighthearted, yet slightly awkward moment stood out as a rarity among a season of tense uncertainty for McDaniel and the Dolphins, who sit at 3-7 on the year with increasingly long odds to make the playoffs.—
Sean Neumann,
PEOPLE,
11 Nov. 2025
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From climate-resilient clinics to advanced protective lens technology, professionals are attempting to provide worthwhile and viable solutions to pressing present-tense issues.—
William Jones,
Ascend Agency,
11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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In 2024, Mark looked nervous watching Grace compete in a horse show.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
6 Nov. 2025
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Senior dogs, puppies, or nervous rescues may require specialized care.—
Maria Williams,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The self-laceration is done on Damon Albarn Time, though, as Idles’ usual anxious guitar rave-ups are slowed and stripped here to a skipping, reggae-ish crawl, as synths squeak in the background and Albarn offers support via his forever-distant, disembodied backing vocals.—
Andrew Unterberger,
Billboard,
7 Nov. 2025
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Obviously, Meghan’s anxious about it.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Compared to the swooning Gothic romance of Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula, Kenneth Branagh’s Frankenstein is just too perverse — in an unsettling way.—
Katie Rife,
Vulture,
9 Nov. 2025
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At the same time, the detective assigned to the case begins to uncover secrets about Scout, along with an unsettling breakthrough in Georgia’s death.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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And yet behind the distressful scene, a young man continues to butcher an animal.—
Kaely Monahan,
The Arizona Republic,
27 Mar. 2024
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Despite the distressful news of Houston’s death that day, the event went forward to create a space for guests to mourn.—
Elizabeth Wagmeister,
CNN,
2 Feb. 2024
Adjective
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This kind of experience is empowering, but also unnerving.—
James Somers,
New Yorker,
6 Nov. 2025
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The other is from Viggo Mortensen, who arrives in time for the film’s final stretch to embody a truly unnerving Lucifer.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nerve-racking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nerve-racking. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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