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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in excitable
easily excited by nature
a nervous sort of person, she's completely thrown by anything unexpected
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 nervous
Shohei Ohtani stood upright in the batter’s box and admired his work amid the nervous silence.
—
Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
One part of the bill that makes some school districts nervous is the provision that allows charter schools to take over district-run schools and use the facilities rent-free.
—Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2025
The cuts and changes at the FDA have made companies nervous.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 2 Apr. 2025
This should get everyone nervous about this coming for the rest of the industry.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nervous
Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
One part of the bill that makes some school districts nervous is the provision that allows charter schools to take over district-run schools and use the facilities rent-free.
—Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2025
The cuts and changes at the FDA have made companies nervous.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 2 Apr. 2025
This should get everyone nervous about this coming for the rest of the industry.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nervous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nervous
Adjective
-
Many Americans are worried that their First Amendment right to free speech is fading.—
Leila Fadel,
NPR,
7 Apr. 2025
-
The patient’s toe had been amputated because of an infection causing unbearable pain and Dr Shaik, a neurology resident overseeing her care was worried.—
Hansa Bhargava,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
But Sherrill remains uneasy about what could happen next.—
Susan Tompor,
USA Today,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
And if Django’s Billy Crash tapped into Goggins’s ability to thrive with brutal spite, Mannix plays more to Goggins’s excitable energy and capacity for being clever (even when his character seems to be anything but).—
Daniel Dockery,
Vulture,
6 Apr. 2025
-
For someone so obsessed with the granular details of carbohydrates and fueling, Roche runs with an easy, excitable freedom.—
Devin Kelly,
Outside Online,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Friday, a government report showed that the U.S. labor market held up better than expected in March despite the federal government’s layoffs, the crackdown on immigrants, and surveys showing that consumers and businesses are increasingly anxious about the economy.—
Josh Fellman,
Quartz,
4 Apr. 2025
-
Not that Wendlinger is anxious for her time with the Mustangs to end.—
Michael Osipoff,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The power of HOAs over homeowners has been a tense conversation across North Carolina.—
Briah Lumpkins,
Charlotte Observer,
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
-
The Pacers pulled off an upset series win against a then No. 3 seed Bucks in six games last year without Giannis Antetokounmpo.—
Homero De la Fuente,
CNN Money,
13 Apr. 2025
-
Fifty-eight percent of the bets are on Silva to win, while 71 percent of the money is on a Mitchell upset.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
12 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Other times, Claude’s mental activity seems super disturbing and maybe even dangerous.—
Steven Levy,
Wired News,
28 Mar. 2025
-
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
-
Knights believes Riyadh is apprehensive about the Houthis retaliating with long-range drones and missiles against its infrastructure.—
Nadeen Ebrahim,
CNN Money,
6 Apr. 2025
-
In his first season during filming, Brown was a little apprehensive about being in front of the camera at first.—
Vitas Carosella,
Forbes.com,
29 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nervous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nervous. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share