nervy
Americanadjective
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brashly presumptuous or insolent; pushy.
a nervy thing to say; a nervy trick to pull.
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having or showing courage; brave or bold.
the nervy feats of the mountaineers.
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strong; sinewy; vigorous.
a hard, nervy physique.
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Chiefly British. straining one's patience or forbearance; trying.
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nervous; excitable; on edge.
adjective
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informal tense or apprehensive
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having or needing bravery or endurance
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informal brash or cheeky
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archaic muscular; sinewy
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of nervy
Explanation
If you're nervy, you're so outspoken and brave that you're almost rude. A nervy student isn't afraid to ask even the grouchiest teacher to explain why he's giving so much homework on a Friday. You can use nervy to simply mean "brave," but it usually carries the implication of being a bit of a smart aleck. Your nervy questions at a job interview might be seen as refreshingly straightforward, or simply cheeky and impudent. Sometimes nervy instead means "nervous," like a nervy tightrope walker who trembles and shakes with fear, but this meaning is more common in Britain than in the U.S.
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.
See Examples For:
Tim Waterer of KCM Trade said: "Traders remain somewhat nervy about the scale of the capex being committed, given lingering concerns over how long the return-on-investment phase may take to fully materialise."
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
Despite the nervy conclusion, the U.S. finds itself on a historic run at this World Cup.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026
Amid huge outlays on its war in Ukraine, tax rises, stubborn inflation and nervy consumers are all weighing on Russia's small companies.
From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026
A 4-4-2 shape that helped the Scots score eight goals across two encouraging World Cup warm-up fixtures against 10-man Curacao and Bolivia was deployed in the nervy win over the Haitians.
From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026
I was a true hustler—uneducated, unskilled at anything honorable, and I considered myself nervy and cunning enough to live by my wits, exploiting any prey that presented itself.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
Scotland saw it out from there in a finale that was nervier than they imagined it would be, but was convincing nonetheless.
From BBC ● Mar. 8, 2025
The situation is nervier, however, with “Evil Does Not Exist,” an equally arresting, meditative follow-up which charts the emerging clash between a tight-knit rural community and a big company with intrusive development plans.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 3, 2024
Outfitted in progressively more luscious frocks by Susan Hilferty, Feldstein makes a journey from nervy tyro to nervier pro.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 24, 2022
Military flashpoints or related energy price shocks and power blackouts in Europe and elsewhere could make for an even nervier year-end than usual.
From Reuters ● Nov. 17, 2021
You'll go getting older and older and nervier and nervier, till you're so nervy that even the old ladies won't have you any more.
From The Immortal Moment The Story of Kitty Tailleur by May Sinclair
The nerviest moment for Norris came after his first pit stop, when he came up behind Tsunoda in a battle for third place.
From BBC ● Dec. 7, 2025
“She rose fast in a business that was then dominated by men. She outmanned many of them: she was the toughest negotiator, the bluntest adversary, the nerviest deal maker,” Orlean writes.
From The New Yorker ● Nov. 24, 2019
For those who hoped Cannes would shake things up further still with its freshest, nerviest, most unpredictable slate in years, the festival did not disappoint.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 12, 2018
Like all the nerviest and best auditions, this special was self-serving in the extreme, and teetered on the edge of failing.
From Time ● May 17, 2016
That was when I made up my mind you were the nerviest man alive, Greggy.
From Flower of the North A Modern Romance by James Oliver Curwood
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.
