as in tense
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings
for a couple of nail-biting moments we thought that we had actually won the mega lottery
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Recent Examples of nail-biting
This movie’s nail-biting, sorrowful power comes from what internalized destruction looks like.
—
Robert Abele,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
After an offseason of questions, speculation and even nail-biting worry about the most important right ankle in Denver sports, Bo Nix planted it into the turf at the end of a three-step dropback and lofted a ball toward the front pylon of the end zone.
—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
19 June 2026
Over the weekend, the World Cup kicked off its monthlong series of games, but more importantly, in a 4-1 nail-biting series win, the New York Knicks took home their first NBA championship in 53 years.
—
Alexandra Hildreth,
Vogue,
18 June 2026
Qatar are coming off an even more nail-biting finish.
—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
18 June 2026
The New York Knicks have finally snagged the NBA championship title after a nail-biting win against the San Antonio Spurs this past weekend.
—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
15 June 2026
In a nail-biting game that went down to the final second, the Knicks secured a 107-106 victory, coming back from 76-49 at halftime.
—
Clare Fisher,
PEOPLE,
11 June 2026
That’s the question at the heart of Hulu’s nail-biting new crime thriller, Furious.
—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 June 2026
Griffin takes us on a journey through his extraordinary career, from his appointment as a flight director in the wake of the Apollo 1 fire, through the audacious decision to send Apollo 8 around the moon, all the way to the nail-biting rescue of Apollo 13.
—
Space.com Staff,
Space.com,
6 June 2026
Robert Abele,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
After an offseason of questions, speculation and even nail-biting worry about the most important right ankle in Denver sports, Bo Nix planted it into the turf at the end of a three-step dropback and lofted a ball toward the front pylon of the end zone.
—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
19 June 2026
Over the weekend, the World Cup kicked off its monthlong series of games, but more importantly, in a 4-1 nail-biting series win, the New York Knicks took home their first NBA championship in 53 years.
—
Alexandra Hildreth,
Vogue,
18 June 2026
Qatar are coming off an even more nail-biting finish.
—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
18 June 2026
The New York Knicks have finally snagged the NBA championship title after a nail-biting win against the San Antonio Spurs this past weekend.
—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
15 June 2026
In a nail-biting game that went down to the final second, the Knicks secured a 107-106 victory, coming back from 76-49 at halftime.
—
Clare Fisher,
PEOPLE,
11 June 2026
That’s the question at the heart of Hulu’s nail-biting new crime thriller, Furious.
—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 June 2026
Griffin takes us on a journey through his extraordinary career, from his appointment as a flight director in the wake of the Apollo 1 fire, through the audacious decision to send Apollo 8 around the moon, all the way to the nail-biting rescue of Apollo 13.
—
Space.com Staff,
Space.com,
6 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nail-biting
Adjective
-
In May, during a tense commission meeting, a majority of commissioners declined to give her a raise after her first year on the job.
-
Both of these factors lead to tense – but also quite funny –moments.
Adjective
-
The company and the government have since seemed to settle into an uneasy truce.
-
But some retirees remain uneasy about security concerns, healthcare quality, and property ownership structures.
Adjective
-
There were many disturbing parts of Kerstin’s story left unpursued.
-
The film is a modern take on the creature horror film told from the perspective of a young boy who slowly begins to discover that his beloved parents are hiding a disturbing secret about his mother’s true nature.
Adjective
-
After all, Against Nature is all about the unsettling atmosphere and the senses.
-
Seeking a fresh start, Ellie moves into a house on Delaney Row hoping to leave her troubled past behind, only to discover that her new home is steeped in dark secrets and unsettling mysteries.
Adjective
-
Max is accompanied on his adventures by anxious robot C-3PO AB Sitter, and FX, a magical alien masquerading as a toy who can turn the kid's implausibly impressive sand sculptures into fully functioning robots.
-
America’s centennial in 1876 was celebrated with a grand exhibition that projected an image of national unity and inventiveness in the anxious aftermath of civil war and recession.
Adjective
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At Clis boutique in Melrose Park, owner Jeimmy Espina is nervous and overwhelmed by the number of dead and injured in her home country.
-
Apple head honchos are nervous about cybersecurity – and one reason might be a recent supply chain attack on supplier Tata, the largest Indian company of its kind to ink a partnership with the front-running American smartphone company.
Adjective
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Neither team has pressed forward with much conviction in the first 15 minutes, and after some back-and-forth passing on the back line of the Netherlands' defense, boos could be heard from restless spectators in Monterrey.
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Within a few restless months, the group of strangers have become a fragile family.
Adjective
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Light wash indigo and dark indigo with heavy whiskering and distressing remain the dominate palette, but non-indigo colors like charcoal, olive, ecru and sand are gaining importance.
-
My line supply decreases with distressing rapidity.
Cite this Entry
“Nail-biting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nail-biting. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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