as in thriller
something (as a close contest) that induces much suspense as to its outcome
a presidential election that was one of the great nail-biters of all time
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Recent Examples of nail-biter
In Sunday’s vote, the Peronists trounced Milei’s right-libertarian party by a staggering 47% to 34%, a far cry from the nail-biter that many pollsters had predicted.
—
Miami Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
The Dallas Cowboys dropped a 24-20 nail-biter to the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL season opener Thursday at Lincoln Financial Field.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Sep. 2025
Across major corn-growing states, climate change is fueling conditions that make watching the corn grow a nail-biter for farmers.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2025
Louisville-area football fans saw some blowouts and some nail-biters Friday night.
—Rich Barak, Louisville Courier Journal, 23 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nail-biter
Miami Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
The Dallas Cowboys dropped a 24-20 nail-biter to the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL season opener Thursday at Lincoln Financial Field.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Sep. 2025
Across major corn-growing states, climate change is fueling conditions that make watching the corn grow a nail-biter for farmers.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2025
Louisville-area football fans saw some blowouts and some nail-biters Friday night.
—Rich Barak, Louisville Courier Journal, 23 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nail-biter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nail-biter
thriller
Noun
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Elazar-Halevi’s fast-paced, live-action YA thriller blends espionage, romance, and coming-of-age drama set against the backdrops of major cities around the world.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Oct. 2025
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Raimi’s new film, which hits theaters in January and released its first trailer today, is a psychological thriller set on a deserted island in which two co-workers (Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien) are stranded together after a plane crash.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
14 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nail-biter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nail-biter. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.
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