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
  • Some Republicans, notably including Vice President JD Vance, have directly blamed their midterm losses on the Iran war, which continues to see intermittent fighting amid an uneasy stalemate.
    — Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Set in 1970s Los Angeles, the musical explores family, artistic ambition and the uneasy passage of cultural knowledge from one generation to the next.
    — James C. Taylor, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of uneasy
Adjective
  • None are pretty; most are striking; many are beautiful; some are disturbing.
    — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Did Prince Harry and Meghan Markle relocate to the UK because of her father’s disturbing allegations?
    — Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 9 Nov. 2026
Definition of disturbing
Adjective
  • For Spielberg’s tense thriller about the aftermath of the 1972 Olympics massacre, Kaminski looked to the gritty, paranoid cinema of the 1970s.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Activists and residents in various parts of the city — and elsewhere in the Balkan country — have self-organized to paint over anti-student graffiti that were scribbled on buildings during the tense campaign ahead of the ballot.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of tense
Adjective
  • Eha Retreat offers a full nervous-system reset through forest rituals and Nordic coziness.
    — Nicole Trilivas, Travel + Leisure, 9 Nov. 2026
  • Nora is stuttery; Michael is relaxed; Saeed is nervous; Johnny is cooler than ice.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of nervous
Adjective
  • Everyone’s inner monologue is narrated by no less than author Zadie Smith, whose voice-over’s cool assurance forms a productive contrast with the characters’ anxious scrambling.
    — Alison Herman, Variety, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Even so, a person calling about an arrest or a custody dispute is just as likely to be anxious, and a voice that sounds human but is not can feel like deception, whatever the law requires.
    — Hamid Kohan, Forbes.com, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of anxious
Adjective
  • But after discovering an unsettling antique portrait of a mysterious pioneer woman, their idyllic retreat begins to unravel.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Her dangling tongue, tuft of Troll doll-esque blond hair, and pink ribbon juxtaposed with an occasional top hat give her a quirky, sometimes unsettling charm.
    — Jennifer Byrne, Popular Science, 4 Nov. 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
  • Butler said the incident was unnerving to witness, and has left residents in the area rattled.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Still, Graham’s wildly unnerving performance as Jurek is what holds the show together.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 30 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 14 Nov. 2026.

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