as in adventurous
inclined or willing to take risks
a nerved and fearless driver of race cars
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in braced
to prepare (oneself) mentally or emotionally
needs to nerve himself for the big game tomorrow
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nerved
Alison Willmore, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
The latest target is 402 km/h (250 mph), a mind-bending pace on two wheels that requires a special, steely nerved rider.
—IEEE Spectrum, 30 Mar. 2023
Jessica John gives one of the best performances of her career as the raw-nerved and boldly confrontational Barbara, whose despair leads to her confuse Johnny with Donny after a couple gallon-size jugs of wine.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Nov. 2022
The result is a work of rare, raw-nerved insight into group therapy and individual trauma, as well as a moving vision of male friendship and strength in the face of evil.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 Nov. 2021
Most of the emotion in the series veers toward the overblown or maudlin, though Winona Ryder (God bless ’er), who plays Will’s jangly nerved mother, Joyce, has at last decided to fully apply her once formidable talent to the role.
—Hank Stuever, Washington Post, 3 July 2019
Putin, a former KGB agent, has ruled Russia as prime minister or president for more than 18 years, and in that time has crafted an image as a steely nerved leader and the man best qualified to rebuild his country after the end of the Soviet Union.
—Andrew E. Kramer, BostonGlobe.com, 7 May 2018
Cynthia Gerber is just right as the fragile-nerved stage manager Poppy.
—Pam Kragen, sandiegouniontribune.com, 15 Apr. 2018
Adjective
But what places this film on this list is Byrne’s raw-nerved, aching, anxiously taut performance.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
The latest target is 402 km/h (250 mph), a mind-bending pace on two wheels that requires a special, steely nerved rider.
—IEEE Spectrum, 30 Mar. 2023
Jessica John gives one of the best performances of her career as the raw-nerved and boldly confrontational Barbara, whose despair leads to her confuse Johnny with Donny after a couple gallon-size jugs of wine.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Nov. 2022
The result is a work of rare, raw-nerved insight into group therapy and individual trauma, as well as a moving vision of male friendship and strength in the face of evil.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 Nov. 2021
Most of the emotion in the series veers toward the overblown or maudlin, though Winona Ryder (God bless ’er), who plays Will’s jangly nerved mother, Joyce, has at last decided to fully apply her once formidable talent to the role.
—Hank Stuever, Washington Post, 3 July 2019
Putin, a former KGB agent, has ruled Russia as prime minister or president for more than 18 years, and in that time has crafted an image as a steely nerved leader and the man best qualified to rebuild his country after the end of the Soviet Union.
—Andrew E. Kramer, BostonGlobe.com, 7 May 2018
Cynthia Gerber is just right as the fragile-nerved stage manager Poppy.
—Pam Kragen, sandiegouniontribune.com, 15 Apr. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nerved
Adjective
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On the water, the 55-year-old mother seems to come alive, her adventurous spirit radiating outward, lighting her from the inside out.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Mid-life travelers who are looking for fun, adventurous experiences can find them on a ranch vacation.—
Patricia Doherty,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Under all that pressure, where fans have paid premiums on tickets and hotels, and with a White House administration that has made this World Cup a priority issue, is the union braced for the heat which may come its way?—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
-
If true, the solution was pretty straightforward — the replacement of the tubes with ones that have a greater wall thickness and/or are braced to prevent the vibrations that created the cracks.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The four brave astronauts onboard—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch of NASA and Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency—completed their historic lunar flyby five days later.—
Lee Billings,
Scientific American,
9 Apr. 2026
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While your brave nature prefers fast outcomes, letting ideas mature in private should put you in a position to act with more confidence in a positive outcome.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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His career essentially bestrides the slow-to-grow Before Times and the apparent soccer paradise of today, which was fortified by remarkable facilities, boosted by an ideal central location and forged by an eagerly welcoming host city that slugged above its weight to make this happen.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Slivers of domestic Wagyu tenderloin sit in a deep salsa negra fortified with soy sauce.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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And my feeling is that there have been brilliant and daring sketches that didn’t make the cut that should have.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Montes is daring, her work unafraid to wrestle with the most complex and foundational ideas, yet doing so on her own terms.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Many of them relied on courageous individuals who have taken leaps of faith and shared information, sometimes at real personal risk.—
Robert Faturechi,
ProPublica,
11 Apr. 2026
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In all fairness, the intense focus on all of this over the past three years probably has made the play, which was a courageous piece to write in 2023, feel less fresh.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Cox always had a chip on his shoulder, but also seemed invincible — and fearless.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
9 Apr. 2026
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From a legacy icon to a comeback story to one of the game’s most fearless dressers, the lineup reads like a brand deck designed to bridge generations.—
Ryan Brennan
April 7,
Miami Herald,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Our take on classic chicken salad features curry powder and fresh cilantro for a spicy, bold flavor.—
Phoebe Evans,
Southern Living,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Two years after debuting his bold ink in 2024, MGK talked more indepth about the story behind his physical transformation.—
Michelle Lee,
PEOPLE,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nerved.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nerved. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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