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
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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
There’s a lot to be nervous about in today’s world.
—
Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, The Mercury News, 12 Feb. 2025
Ye's antisemitic tirade comes at a sensitive time; Many Jews across the country have especially been nervous since the war began in Gaza after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
—David Oliver, USA TODAY, 12 Feb. 2025
Fellow freshmen Maggie Mora-Romero and Carla Brambila were nervous to attend but heartened by the movement to stand with immigrants.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacramento Bee, 12 Feb. 2025
By Cheri Oteri February 12, 2025 7:04 AM EST
The beginning of my SNL journey felt like the first day of school—that perfect mixture of nervous excitement and possibility.
—Cheri Oteri, TIME, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nervous
Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, The Mercury News, 12 Feb. 2025
Ye's antisemitic tirade comes at a sensitive time; Many Jews across the country have especially been nervous since the war began in Gaza after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
—David Oliver, USA TODAY, 12 Feb. 2025
Fellow freshmen Maggie Mora-Romero and Carla Brambila were nervous to attend but heartened by the movement to stand with immigrants.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacramento Bee, 12 Feb. 2025
By Cheri Oteri February 12, 2025 7:04 AM EST
The beginning of my SNL journey felt like the first day of school—that perfect mixture of nervous excitement and possibility.
—Cheri Oteri, TIME, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nervous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nervous
Adjective
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With the recent temporary suspensions on research grant reviews and payments for researchers and talk of mass layoffs and budget cuts at the National Science Foundation, scientists are already worried about how science funding will be affected.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
18 Feb. 2025
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That’s a lot of CO2, something airlines are increasingly worried about.—
Jackie Snow,
Quartz,
18 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The resolution is seeking $4.5 trillion in tax breaks and $2 trillion in spending cuts over the next 10 years, measures that have met opposition from Democrats and made some Republicans uneasy.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
Newsweek,
26 Feb. 2025
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In my conversations with barbecue people, there was often uneasy tension about whether craft barbecue is something new or a return to an old way of doing things.—
Rachel Monroe,
The New Yorker,
22 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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So does that of an excitable young engineer (Jonas Strand Gravli) who pesters him with seemingly fanciful technological dreams.—
Richard Brody,
The New Yorker,
5 Feb. 2025
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There’s lots of snarky, adult humor and many high-stakes moments that may be too excitable for younger audiences.—
Lynnette Nicholas,
Parents,
20 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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While many companies rapidly integrate AI, this data reveals a growing disconnect: employees are increasingly anxious about its impact.—
Julian Hayes II,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
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But raising cash remains a challenge for some, with investors anxious about startups courting enough customers for healthy returns, Pershad said.—
Liang Lei,
CNBC,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Video shows President Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vice President JD Vance in a tense meeting Friday before the U.S. and Ukraine were planning to sign a rare earth minerals deal.—
Sarah Lynch Baldwin,
CBS News,
28 Feb. 2025
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The removal occurred during a tense exchange between Trump and Zelensky.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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And the charge Jones drew on Bogdan Bogdanović with 1:53 remaining set the table for the Bulls to attempt — and, ultimately, fail — to pull off the upset win.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Feb. 2025
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The flip side to that is that an upset loss to either would be a death blow.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Warning: The following story elements, including photos and video, may be disturbing to some readers.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA TODAY,
21 Feb. 2025
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The feature take is set amidst the 4th of July celebration, as a disturbing figure named Tommy Taffy emerges.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Automation has reshaped entire industries, leaving many workers apprehensive about their future.—
Brent Gleeson,
Forbes,
19 Feb. 2025
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But many were also apprehensive about the return of Soviet power.—
Franziska Exeler,
The Dial,
18 Feb. 2025
Articles Related to nervous
Cite this Entry
“Nervous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nervous. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
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