variants
or nerve-wracking
as in uneasy
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings
the nerve-racking wait to learn the identities of the passengers who were killed in the plane crash
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nerve-racking
Economists, analysts, and investors have spent the past few days sounding the alarm about stagflation, a uniquely nerve-racking scenario in which high inflation dogs a low-growth, stagnant economy.
—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
For Riverside residents living in the surrounding area, the incident is nerve-racking and a little too close to home.
—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
Meeting the rapper, 44, in person proved to be a nerve-racking experience.
—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
6 Jan. 2026
Caregiving like no other One reason that mental health caregivers particularly need support is that caring for someone with a serious mental illness can be nerve-racking, simply because of the nature of these disorders and diseases.
—
Kat McGowan,
NPR,
31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nerve-racking
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
For Riverside residents living in the surrounding area, the incident is nerve-racking and a little too close to home.
—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
Meeting the rapper, 44, in person proved to be a nerve-racking experience.
—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
6 Jan. 2026
Caregiving like no other One reason that mental health caregivers particularly need support is that caring for someone with a serious mental illness can be nerve-racking, simply because of the nature of these disorders and diseases.
—
Kat McGowan,
NPR,
31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nerve-racking
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nerve-racking
Adjective
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The company and the government have since seemed to settle into an uneasy truce.
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But some retirees remain uneasy about security concerns, healthcare quality, and property ownership structures.
Adjective
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There were many disturbing parts of Kerstin’s story left unpursued.
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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
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In May, during a tense commission meeting, a majority of commissioners declined to give her a raise after her first year on the job.
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Both of these factors lead to tense – but also quite funny –moments.
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.
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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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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.
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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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After all, Against Nature is all about the unsettling atmosphere and the senses.
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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
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And yet behind the distressful scene, a young man continues to butcher an animal.
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Despite the distressful news of Houston’s death that day, the event went forward to create a space for guests to mourn.
Adjective
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Set that against Microsoft's research mapping AI applicability across occupations, which scores knowledge and information work highest and physical labor lowest, and an unnerving pattern surfaces.
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And of course, the history of the unnerving shoe extends way beyond the advent of social media.
Cite this Entry
“Nerve-racking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nerve-racking. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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