nerve-racking
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of nerve-racking
First recorded in 1805–15
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Former winner Shaun Murphy believed taking his driving test was "the most nerve-racking moment of my life".
From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026
For anyone facing potentially dire medical results or other nerve-racking ambiguities, the waiting is the hardest part.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026
It’s nerve-racking enough for parents watching their son or daughter pitch.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 25, 2026
Distribution — where you start to draw money from those funds, like an expensive wine in your cellar — can be nerve-racking.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 29, 2026
During the course of that nerve-racking trial, Linda saw his temper for the first time.
From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
