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.
"Being on the stand might be nerve-racking, but our futures and our rights are worth standing up for," she told AFP.
From Barron's ● Oct. 26, 2026
“That was nerve-racking for us watching from a distance,” said Lovelace, who has also worked with Southern on documentaries about Blur and LCD Soundsystem.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
And the partner drills were nerve-racking, like the time I had to spar a 6-foot-6 15-year-old who didn’t know his own strength and hadn’t yet discovered deodorant.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
"I'm very, very excited for the race, but I know on the day it's going to be extremely nerve-racking," Hamblett said.
From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026
It must be nerve-racking for her outside on the water, with nowhere to hide.
From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
