variants
or nerve-wracking
as in nervous
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nerve-racking
What could be an exciting, life-changing experience can turn into a nerve-racking encounter that many people of color do not want to have again.
—
Serena Billett, Charlotte Observer, 20 May 2025
One of them is a nerve-racking, crosscutting game of misdirection and accumulating danger atop a balance beam.
—A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 19 May 2025
What should have been an incredibly nerve-racking week for Liverpool and their fans is now simply just people being excited about watching the Premier League’s new champions play again.
—Andy Jones, New York Times, 11 May 2025
Fridays have become some of the most nerve-racking times for mass firings of civil servants since President Donald Trump took office on January 20 and established DOGE.
—Nathan Layne, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nerve-racking
Serena Billett, Charlotte Observer, 20 May 2025
One of them is a nerve-racking, crosscutting game of misdirection and accumulating danger atop a balance beam.
—A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 19 May 2025
What should have been an incredibly nerve-racking week for Liverpool and their fans is now simply just people being excited about watching the Premier League’s new champions play again.
—Andy Jones, New York Times, 11 May 2025
Fridays have become some of the most nerve-racking times for mass firings of civil servants since President Donald Trump took office on January 20 and established DOGE.
—Nathan Layne, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nerve-racking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nerve-racking
Adjective
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Joe Mazur, senior analyst at Trivium China, a research and advisory firm, said the use of exit bans and the lack of clarity around specific cases will make foreign companies extremely nervous about sending staff to China, damaging overall business confidence.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
23 July 2025
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All 11 brought home at least one full point in Rome, the result of their talent but also of a cohesive approach where veteran Justin Rose was willing to be paired with nervous rookie Robert MacIntyre in fourball and sit the foursomes sessions.—
Brody Miller,
New York Times,
23 July 2025
Adjective
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Trump's trade deals with many countries—perhaps most notably China and the European Union—remain in tense negotiations, each one potentially affecting their manufacturing costs.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
22 July 2025
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One client shared how a simple practice of pausing to name their emotion before responding in a tense board meeting helped de-escalate conflict and steer the conversation toward collaboration.—
Maureen Metcalf,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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With Iran and its proxies diminished and Gulf states anxious to diversify their economies, any prospect for broader peace and normalization runs through Riyadh.—
Edward Felsenthal,
Time,
23 July 2025
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This is their first major sit-down interview together, and both are a bit anxious.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
23 July 2025
Adjective
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Pico’s other headsets are not sold in North America and ByteDance and the Trump administration have an uneasy relationship at best.—
Chris Morris,
Fortune,
15 July 2025
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The carpenters’ stance has created a split in the labor movement that makes lawmakers uneasy and sometimes spills into public view.—
CalMatters,
Mercury News,
13 July 2025
Adjective
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This is a disturbing statistic and speaks to an increase in the total number of people defacing themselves, but also a rise in the amount of ink per person.—
Scott Liftman,
Boston Herald,
25 July 2025
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The board of the Regional Transportation Authority met Friday to discuss ways to respond to the cut, striking a note of optimism to counter the disturbing prediction for Tri-Rail’s future.—
Rafael Olmeda,
Sun Sentinel,
25 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nerve-racking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nerve-racking. Accessed 2 Aug. 2025.
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