nerve-racking

adjective

nerve-rack·​ing ˈnərv-ˌra-kiŋ How to pronounce nerve-racking (audio)
variants or nerve-wracking
: extremely trying on the nerves
a nerve-racking ordeal
The job interview was a nerve-racking experience.

Examples of nerve-racking in a Sentence

the nerve-racking wait to learn the identities of the passengers who were killed in the plane crash
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
And the prospect of shaving it off was nerve-racking for the actress ,who also had to do it on camera. Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 24 Oct. 2024 Attending the 2024 Emmy Awards would be a nerve-racking experience for any celebrity guest—but for co-host Dan Levy, the stakes were that much higher. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 16 Sep. 2024 None? Superman’s nerve-racking choice, a typical comic-book scenario, epitomizes the woozy and weighty mood of multiversal fiction. Stephen Kearse, The Atlantic, 6 Sep. 2024 The film, penned by Reitman and Gil Kenan, chronicles the nerve-racking and chaotic 90 minutes that led up to that first show. Diego Ramos Bechara, Variety, 9 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for nerve-racking 

Word History

First Known Use

1812, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nerve-racking was in 1812

Dictionary Entries Near nerve-racking

Cite this Entry

“Nerve-racking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nerve-racking. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

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