white-knuckle
adjective
white-knuck·le
ˈ(h)wīt-ˈnə-kəl 
variants
or less commonly white-knuckled
: marked by, causing, or experiencing tense nervousness
a white-knuckle ride on a roller coaster
a white-knuckle passenger
white-knuckler
noun
plural white-knucklers
The 65-mile speedway connecting Vancouver and the mountain town of Whistler was a white-knuckler for decades.
—
Christian DeBenedetti
Christian DeBenedetti
Examples of white-knuckle in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For thirty minutes on Tuesday, a team of researchers white-knuckled it across the CERN campus on the outskirts of Geneva, completing the world’s first haul of antimatter particles ever attempted.
—Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 25 Mar. 2026
There's macho panache and white-knuckle action sequences aplenty as Pitt's eccentric Formula 1 veteran plays reluctant mentor to a hotshot rookie (Damson Idris).
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026
Highway 101 passes directly through town, and there are no switchbacks or white-knuckle coastal roads.
—Audrey T. Williams, Mercury News, 23 Feb. 2026
These groups are often the bridge between white-knuckle survival and spiritual recovery.
—David Manheim, Rolling Stone, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for white-knuckle
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Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 25 Mar. 2026
There's macho panache and white-knuckle action sequences aplenty as Pitt's eccentric Formula 1 veteran plays reluctant mentor to a hotshot rookie (Damson Idris).
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026
Highway 101 passes directly through town, and there are no switchbacks or white-knuckle coastal roads.
—Audrey T. Williams, Mercury News, 23 Feb. 2026
These groups are often the bridge between white-knuckle survival and spiritual recovery.
—David Manheim, Rolling Stone, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for white-knuckle
Cite this Entry
“White-knuckle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/white-knuckle. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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