1
as in worried
feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty
he was nervous about how he would do at the varsity basketball tryouts
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in uneasy
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings
a nervous silence filled the room as the teacher handed out the graded exams
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in excitable
easily excited by nature
a nervous sort of person, she's completely thrown by anything unexpected
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nervous
Women patients and doctors, including New York City physician Grace Peckham, successfully argued that the rest cure was not only quack medicine but more harmful to patients than the nervous sickness itself.
—
Time, 3 June 2025
And that fear Roberts expected back in the spring was present in only one place, emanating through a fan base nervous to watch him pitch.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2025
The price of gold tends to move when markets get nervous – and so does the gold.
—Ken Roberts, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
That said, one moment in the final episode did make Brashear nervous.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for nervous
Time, 3 June 2025
And that fear Roberts expected back in the spring was present in only one place, emanating through a fan base nervous to watch him pitch.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2025
The price of gold tends to move when markets get nervous – and so does the gold.
—Ken Roberts, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
That said, one moment in the final episode did make Brashear nervous.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for nervous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nervous
Adjective
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Georgia, too, is worried about Ginny's behind-the-scenes machinations.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
7 June 2025
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While Republicans in Congress have been pushing for major Medicaid cuts in the new budget, many Medicaid enrollees are worried about what this means for their health coverage — including those who identify as Republican.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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Some are bigger than others: economic uncertainty, changing customer behaviors, personal isolation, leadership burnout, marketing crisis, brand reputation, uneasy board members, investor expectations, consumer confidence, health issues and family challenges.—
Nancy Padberg,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2025
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But Musk’s rebuke has energized fiscal hawks in the Senate who were already uneasy with the legislation’s scope.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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The telling of the entire story of America, after all, calls into question the greatness that Donald Trump pledges to restore, and agitates a base that remains threatened and excitable by our multicultural reality.—
Kevin Sack,
Time,
3 June 2025
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Anyone familiar with the world of the Grateful Dead knows that one of the band’s most devoted and excitable fans was the late Bill Walton, the illustrious Hall of Fame NBA center who died in May 2024 at 71.—
David Browne,
Rolling Stone,
15 May 2025
Adjective
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On Tires, Gerben plays Will, the anxious and unqualified son of the auto-repair chain's owner.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
5 June 2025
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As a result, children can become frustrated and anxious when trying to learn math.—
Jennifer Pierce,
USA Today,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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Over the past few weeks, Bieber has found himself at the center of increasingly tense run-ins with paparazzi.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
16 June 2025
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Their only hope is to get to a nearby island, a situation made harder – and much more tense – by a clever great white, noteworthy for being a real shark rather than a CGI one like most films use.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
16 June 2025
Adjective
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The Lynx suffered a shocking upset against the surging Seattle Storm, who are out to prove themselves as one of the top teams.—
Devin Robertson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 June 2025
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During the interview, Alford also acknowledged that he'd been upset with Talley, complaining that both his roommates treated him like a child instead of a man.—
John Lynch,
Arkansas Online,
13 June 2025
Adjective
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The withdrawn teen obsessively draws dark spiders in class and shows a disturbing fixation on news reports of school shootings.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
6 June 2025
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His disturbing legacy drew the attention of filmmaker and former HBO executive Kary Antholis, who had followed the case for decades.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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The songs trying to showcase maturation are equally apprehensive about leaving old formulas behind.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
20 May 2025
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Both companies attributed the results to customers’ feeling apprehensive about the economy.—
Julie Creswell,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nervous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nervous. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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