nervous Nellie

noun

nervous Nel·​lie -ˈne-lē 

variants or nervous Nelly or Nervous Nellie or Nervous Nelly or less commonly nervous nellie or nervous nelly

plural nervous Nellies or Nervous Nellies also nervous nellies

: a person or animal that tends to be timid or anxious

She is a world-class worrier, a change-avoider and, by her own admission, a bit of a nervous Nellie.

—Judith Newman

I love nature and outdoor adventures. Some might call me "outdoorsy." … But the truth is, I am a chicken. A scaredy-cat. A nervous Nelly.

—Shelley Dunning

… horses are "Nervous Nellies." As flight animals, horses are always ready to react and get to safety.

—Citrus County (Florida) Chronicle

Kids who take risks while they're young tend to be less fearful, more independent adults, and kids who don't take risks end up being nervous nellies.

—Charlotte Alter

Synonyms

• handwringer
• worrier
• worrywart

Examples of nervous Nellie in a Sentence

My sister is a real nervous Nellie when it comes to flying.

many new parents are nervous Nellies when it comes to the health of their babies

Recent Examples on the Web

Stephanie, the president’s Nervous Nellie secretary, undergoes a personality change after dipping into Bernadette’s bag of pills. —Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

from the name Nellie

First Known Use

1925, in the meaning defined above