nervous Nellie

noun

-ˈne-lē How to pronounce nervous Nellie (audio)
variants or nervous Nelly
Definition of nervous Nellienext
as in nervous wreck
a person who is inclined to worry many new parents are nervous Nellies when it comes to the health of their babies

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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 nervous Nellie Stephanie, the president’s Nervous Nellie secretary, undergoes a personality change after dipping into Bernadette’s bag of pills. — Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nervous Nellie
nervous wreck
Noun
  • Normally, a stereotypical bride is supposed to be a nervous wreck in the final walk-up.
    — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 29 June 2026
  • The red zone is that anxious stretch from your front door to your airplane seat, where normal people turn into nervous wrecks.
    — Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 12 June 2026
Definition of nervous wreck

Browse Nearby Words

nervously
nervous Nellie
nervous Nellies
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Cite this Entry

“Nervous Nellie.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nervous%20Nellie. Accessed 30 Jul. 2026.

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