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 some, the experience might be a white-knuckle test of whether technology can navigate Austin’s congested roadways.
—Karoline Leonard, Austin American Statesman, 3 Feb. 2026
Nominally in the spirit of ’90s from-hell thrillers, The Patient is a riveting character drama that offers some queasy white-knuckle suspense on the way to a thrilling climax.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Jan. 2026
Getting around the typically scenic seaside town of Marblehead, Massachusetts, is a white-knuckle ride as the community continues to dig out from a huge two-day snowstorm.
—Juli McDonald, CBS News, 28 Jan. 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, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for white-knuckle
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.
Karoline Leonard, Austin American Statesman, 3 Feb. 2026
Nominally in the spirit of ’90s from-hell thrillers, The Patient is a riveting character drama that offers some queasy white-knuckle suspense on the way to a thrilling climax.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Jan. 2026
Getting around the typically scenic seaside town of Marblehead, Massachusetts, is a white-knuckle ride as the community continues to dig out from a huge two-day snowstorm.
—Juli McDonald, CBS News, 28 Jan. 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, 22 Jan. 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 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
