nail-biter
noun
nail-bit·er
ˈnāl-ˌbī-tər 
: something (such as a close contest) that induces tension or anxiety
Examples of nail-biter in a Sentence
a presidential election that was one of the great nail-biters of all time
Recent Examples on the Web
After starter Yu Darvish was pulled in the top of the sixth, standout relievers Jeremiah Estrada and Adrian Morejon stumbled in succession, turning a laugher into a bit of a nail-biter.
—
Dennis Lin, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Tampa Bay came away with a thrilling win over the division rival Falcons last week, while the Texans lost a nail-biter to the Rams on the road.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025
As spooky season approaches, there’s no better time than now to revisit these classic nail-biters—and revel in their impeccable period styling.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 13 Sep. 2025
In Sunday’s vote, the Peronists trounced Milei’s right-libertarian party by a staggering 47% to 34%, a far cry from the nail-biter that many pollsters had predicted.
—Miami Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
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Dennis Lin, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Tampa Bay came away with a thrilling win over the division rival Falcons last week, while the Texans lost a nail-biter to the Rams on the road.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025
As spooky season approaches, there’s no better time than now to revisit these classic nail-biters—and revel in their impeccable period styling.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 13 Sep. 2025
In Sunday’s vote, the Peronists trounced Milei’s right-libertarian party by a staggering 47% to 34%, a far cry from the nail-biter that many pollsters had predicted.
—Miami Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nail-biter
Cite this Entry
“Nail-biter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nail-biter. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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