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
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 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
-
Watching his son evolve from a 4-star recruit out of Columbus High School in Miami to an eventual first-round pick out of Michigan State, Richardson doesn’t get too nervous or overly excited when Jase is on the court.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 June 2025
-
But with Wirtz, there was suddenly an effort not to do that; the media got nervous about calling it a record.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
Adjective
-
Negotiations on this year’s New York City government budget are coming down to the wire — with several sticking points remaining as talks turned tense Thursday between City Council Democrats and Mayor Adams’ administration, according to sources familiar with the matter.—
Chris Sommerfeldt,
New York Daily News,
26 June 2025
-
At the core of Athens’ defense spending motivations is its tense and fractious relationship with fellow NATO ally Turkey.—
Sophie Kiderlin,
CNBC,
25 June 2025
Adjective
-
But perhaps the most persuasive testimony came from Mrs. Hall herself, who embodied the defense’s portrait of a loyal, unsuspecting wife, home alone and anxious over her husband’s mysterious disappearance.—
Jordan Runtagh,
People.com,
27 June 2025
-
Other dogs, especially those that are anxious or suffer from separation anxiety, might find comfort in your scent.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 June 2025
Adjective
-
Outlook: Stability or Strain? Oil markets in 2024 were defined by an uneasy equilibrium.—
Robert Rapier,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
-
Given that uneasy reminder, the small victory ultimately won by King and his followers is even more extraordinary and potent.—
Sophie van Bastelaer,
EW.com,
7 July 2025
Adjective
-
In demand filmmaker Kim Tae-joon, who wrote and directed the disturbing tech thriller Unlocked for the streamer, is back with another feature that is sure to linger with its audience.—
Abid Rahman,
HollywoodReporter,
1 July 2025
-
Many of these videos follow a disturbing but familiar pattern—the extraction and erasure of Black women’s genius, creativity, and contributions.—
Janice Gassam Asare,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nerve-racking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nerve-racking. Accessed 13 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share