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
When people have uncertainty around the performance of a business or the long-term performance or how customers are going to behave, that’s when investors get more nervous about parting with their money.
—
Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 15 Apr. 2025
King, who was said to be very nervous before stepping into the rocket, emerged from the landing capsule with a two-handed wave before dropping to her knees and kissing the ground.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 14 Apr. 2025
The film remains a personal favorite for Ahn, so when the company that owns the film’s rights offered him the chance to remake it, Ahn was both excited and a bit nervous.
—Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 14 Apr. 2025
The unemployment rate is pretty low at the moment, but under the hood Americans sure are nervous about the job market.
—Emily Peck, Axios, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nervous
Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 15 Apr. 2025
King, who was said to be very nervous before stepping into the rocket, emerged from the landing capsule with a two-handed wave before dropping to her knees and kissing the ground.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 14 Apr. 2025
The film remains a personal favorite for Ahn, so when the company that owns the film’s rights offered him the chance to remake it, Ahn was both excited and a bit nervous.
—Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 14 Apr. 2025
The unemployment rate is pretty low at the moment, but under the hood Americans sure are nervous about the job market.
—Emily Peck, Axios, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nervous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nervous
Adjective
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Others are worried about the fate of the Smithsonian more broadly.—
Deborah Barfield Berry,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
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An overwhelming 92 percent are worried about a potential recession in 2025.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Shortly after midnight on Tuesday, some attendees at the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, started to feel uneasy.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
10 Apr. 2025
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But Sherrill remains uneasy about what could happen next.—
Susan Tompor,
USA Today,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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And if Django’s Billy Crash tapped into Goggins’s ability to thrive with brutal spite, Mannix plays more to Goggins’s excitable energy and capacity for being clever (even when his character seems to be anything but).—
Daniel Dockery,
Vulture,
6 Apr. 2025
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For someone so obsessed with the granular details of carbohydrates and fueling, Roche runs with an easy, excitable freedom.—
Devin Kelly,
Outside Online,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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How to know when your dog is agitated Identifying an anxious or aggressive dog can be tricky, as negative and positive emotional indicators can often be confused.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
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The Fed chief said Wednesday the central bank can be patient while assessing data on inflation and employment, which are its dual mandates, while anxious consumers and businesses eye potentially prolonged economic instability.—
Alexis Simendinger,
The Hill,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Once tense and apprehensive, Mateo is later shown basking in the sun and running along the sand with other dogs in the care of his rescuer.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
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Erceg, 29, is known for putting out fires — tense situations in which the opposing team is threatening to score.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The Pacers pulled off an upset series win against a then No. 3 seed Bucks in six games last year without Giannis Antetokounmpo.—
Homero De la Fuente,
CNN Money,
13 Apr. 2025
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Fifty-eight percent of the bets are on Silva to win, while 71 percent of the money is on a Mitchell upset.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
12 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Ghosts that wink could be scary but the face Sal makes is disturbing in other ways.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2025
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In cases where advertising is inevitable, some prefer ads that appeal on a personal level over messaging that can be inappropriate or, even, disturbing and offensive.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Knights believes Riyadh is apprehensive about the Houthis retaliating with long-range drones and missiles against its infrastructure.—
Nadeen Ebrahim,
CNN Money,
6 Apr. 2025
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In his first season during filming, Brown was a little apprehensive about being in front of the camera at first.—
Vitas Carosella,
Forbes.com,
29 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nervous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nervous. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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