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nailbiter

British  
/ ˈneɪlˌbaɪtə /

noun

  1. a person who bites his or her nails

  2. a person who is anxious or tense

  3. something that causes anxiety or tension

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

Before the season, Jim Skipper called the matchup “a win-win. … It’s going to be a nailbiter, I know that.”

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 29, 2024

And the Huskies pulled out another nailbiter that ended with fans storming the field.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 25, 2023

India won a nailbiter in Dhaka to beat Bangladesh and secure a 2-0 series win.

From BBC • Dec. 25, 2022

"Now, Kari, this seemed like a race you'd easily win, yet it's been a real nailbiter," says Heidi Gardner as Fox host Ainsley Earhardt.

From Salon • Nov. 13, 2022

It’s a nailbiter, but I expect the more self-consciously “big” performance to edge it, with Washington joining the likes of Meryl Streep in the elite three-timer club.

From The Guardian • Feb. 23, 2017

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