1
as in worried
feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty
he was nervous about how he would do at the varsity basketball tryouts
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in uneasy
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings
a nervous silence filled the room as the teacher handed out the graded exams
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in excitable
easily excited by nature
a nervous sort of person, she's completely thrown by anything unexpected
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in anxiety
an uneasy state of mind usually over the possibility of an anticipated misfortune or trouble
your nervousness over your son's safety is only natural
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nervous
Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2025
That spark making lawyers nervous is your biggest opportunity.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
Even after growing a cult following on social media with videos of unhinged characters, then breaking out on Max's Hacks, Stalter might have felt nervous about anchoring such a high-profile show.
—Judy Berman, Time, 10 July 2025
Smith, in a room full of major-league veterans, did not act nervous.
—Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for nervous
Adjective
Recently sober, Felix has his own complement of bandmates, friends and friendly ex-girlfriends, including three women named Polly — Adèle Exarchopoulos plays the important one — whose history with Felix makes Jess nervous.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2025
That spark making lawyers nervous is your biggest opportunity.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
Even after growing a cult following on social media with videos of unhinged characters, then breaking out on Max's Hacks, Stalter might have felt nervous about anchoring such a high-profile show.
—Judy Berman, Time, 10 July 2025
Smith, in a room full of major-league veterans, did not act nervous.
—Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for nervous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nervous
Adjective
-
Critics of Greene's bill are worried that the legislation could disproportionately benefit higher-income individuals, who naturally stand to make more profits from a home sale.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 July 2025
-
One of the biggest shifts since the time of Rose is that far fewer Americans are worried about this potential problem.—
Harry Enten,
CNN Money,
11 July 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
-
Contreras, the excitable ex-Cub, took exception and barked at Palencia.—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
8 July 2025
-
Audiences at Berlin shows have tended toward enthusiastic influencers, brand fans and excitable fashion students.—
Cathrin Schaer,
Footwear News,
6 July 2025
Noun
-
Your husband’s anxiety just makes her puppet strings easier to pull.—
Virginia Chamlee,
People.com,
5 July 2025
-
But Democratic pollster John Zogby said many of the wins came at the sacrifice of some and that anxiety in America is higher than ever.—
Paul Bedard,
The Washington Examiner,
5 July 2025
Adjective
-
The choice of name was coincidental but Lee and Kirby were anxious to avoid any connection to radical politics.—
Ekow Eshun
July 11,
Literary Hub,
11 July 2025
-
My expectation is that the veteran who has been in the Octagon against some of the heaviest hitters in the UFC’s heavyweight division is going to be anxious to test the young man who only has 35 seconds of UFC fight time to his name.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
The unsettling noise was followed by a tense hour in the cabin, with many passengers crying, praying or showing signs of distress.—
Muri Assunção,
New York Daily News,
10 July 2025
-
Eyewitness accounts reported that the sweltering temperatures, along with swarms of flies from a nearby stable, contributed to a tense atmosphere and slowed down debate.—
Marianne Krasny,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
Noun
-
Humanitarian workers—many idealistic and committed—fear that sounding the alarm will end operations altogether.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 July 2025
-
The threat remains, but the public’s fears, along with the movies that explored them, have faded away.—
Tom Nichols,
The Atlantic,
10 July 2025
Adjective
-
With less than 30 seconds to go in the game, and both teams tied at 77, Reese walked off the court visibly upset during a timeout.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
8 July 2025
-
But at the same time, local affordability concerns and overcrowding have skyrocketed, making the locals quite upset.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
8 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nervous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nervous. Accessed 17 Jul. 2025.
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