nail-biting

[neyl-bahy-ting]

noun

1. the act or practice of biting one's fingernails, especially as the result of anxiety or nervousness.

2. Informal.,  nervousness.

   The announcement that the trade agreement had been signed ended a week of nail-biting on Wall Street.

adjective

1. Informal.,  causing nervousness.

   The nail-biting part of the canoe trip was through the stretches of white water.

nail-biting

noun

1. the act or habit of biting one's fingernails

2. 1. anxiety or tension

   2. ( as modifier )

      nail-biting suspense

Other Word Forms

• nail-biter noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of nail-biting¹

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

The ending is now quite changed, with nail-biting results, the team said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In Thursday night's nail-biting finale, her luck ran out - as she was banished at the roundtable despite making a pinky promise with fellow traitor Alan Carr, who went on to win.

Read more on BBC

Yamamoto's nerveless contribution on Saturday -- which saw him shepherd the Dodgers over the line in a nail-biting 11th inning -- left team-mates and coaching staff in disbelief.

Read more on Barron's

Federalists don't want to relive the nail-biting trauma of 1995, and separatists "don't see momentum suggesting a positive result" if another referendum were held, Hebert said.

Read more on Barron's

Sri Lanka took four wickets in four balls in the final over to earn a nail-biting victory over Bangladesh and keep their slim hopes of qualifying for the World Cup semi-finals alive.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• angst 
• apprehension 
• concern 
• disquiet 
• doubt 
• dread 
• jitters www.thesaurus.com
• misery 
• misgiving 
• mistrust 
• nervousness 
• panic 
• restlessness 
• suffering 
• suspense 
• trouble 
• uncertainty 
• unease 
• uneasiness www.thesaurus.com