as in tense
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings
for a couple of nail-biting moments we thought that we had actually won the mega lottery
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nail-biting
Adjective
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The guilty plea comes as the U.S. and Iran have recently engaged in indirect talks around Tehran’s nuclear program despite a long-standing tense relationship between the two nations.—
Tara Suter,
The Hill,
17 Apr. 2025 -
Italian Government | Reuters Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is set to meet U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday amid a tense trade standoff with the European Union over tariffs.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Shortly after midnight on Tuesday, some attendees at the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, started to feel uneasy.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
10 Apr. 2025
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But Sherrill remains uneasy about what could happen next.—
Susan Tompor,
USA Today,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Other times, Claude’s mental activity seems super disturbing and maybe even dangerous.—
Steven Levy,
Wired News,
28 Mar. 2025
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Just as disturbing and bizarre, at least one juror originally didn’t want to convict Zeigler at all and didn’t vote to do so until after that same judge ordered the bailiff to give her a Valium.—
Scott Maxwell,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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And for people who value stability, control or routine, that kind of change can feel deeply unsettling.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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There’s also the strange, silent, cubic villagers with long rectangular noses who are deeply unsettling, not to mention the square pigs.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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How to know when your dog is agitated Identifying an anxious or aggressive dog can be tricky, as negative and positive emotional indicators can often be confused.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
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The Fed chief said Wednesday the central bank can be patient while assessing data on inflation and employment, which are its dual mandates, while anxious consumers and businesses eye potentially prolonged economic instability.—
Alexis Simendinger,
The Hill,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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At times brutal and always volatile, the album functions as a sort of electro-shock therapy applied from the shoulders down, layering hard beats, ambient whorls, and nervous acid ticks to trigger a state of full-body rapture.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
18 Apr. 2025
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At the same time, sellers might get nervous if deal activity slows down.—
James Nelson,
Forbes.com,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Wall Street has started to get restless as the clock keeps ticking.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
3 Apr. 2025
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Starr will get restless in a month and come running back.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Paul Henreid’s Dead Ringer is a creepy exploration of how identical twins survive without each other.—
Barry Levitt,
Vulture,
18 Apr. 2025
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There’s a terrifically creepy scene in which the vampires, led by O’Connell’s fiery-eyed Remmick, go into an Irish step dance (at this point there are Black vampires who’ve been bitten and are part of the cult), and the message is: Give up your freedom and join us!—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
10 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Nail-biting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nail-biting. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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