nerve-racking

adjective

nerve-rack·​ing ˈnərv-ˌra-kiŋ How to pronounce nerve-racking (audio)
variants or nerve-wracking
: extremely trying on the nerves
a nerve-racking ordeal
The job interview was a nerve-racking experience.

Examples of nerve-racking in a Sentence

the nerve-racking wait to learn the identities of the passengers who were killed in the plane crash
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Even when he’s engulfed by neo-Nazi demonstrations, Talwar wants nothing more than to belong — a nerve-racking ethical tug-of-war that introduces a sense of danger. Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 24 Feb. 2025 Multiple new blazes have erupted in Southern California The Hughes, Sepulveda and Laguna fires are the latest blazes in a nerve-racking week as Southern California heads into a fourth consecutive day of red flag fire weather warnings. Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 24 Jan. 2025 Related Stories Every Mindy Kaling Production, Ranked ‘Severance’ Review: Episode 2 Coughs Up a Ghost — Spoilers The Attack The nerve-racking finale opens with Peter and everyone else converging on the U.N., which is being evacuated to assess a threat in the HVAC system. Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 24 Jan. 2025 Getting used to the bare-bones shoot took time, but the nerve-racking encounters started on day one. Alamin Yohannes, EW.com, 15 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for nerve-racking

Word History

First Known Use

1812, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nerve-racking was in 1812

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Cite this Entry

“Nerve-racking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nerve-racking. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

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