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nailbiter

/ 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


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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.”

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Shortly after arriving, Blinken attended a Chinese basketball playoff game between the local Shanghai Sharks and the Zhejiang Golden Bulls, with the home team losing in the last seconds in 121-120 nailbiter.

Read more on Seattle Times

And she is pondering doing so again after letting her 9-year-old son stay up late to watch the nailbiter of a finish.

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

Read more on Seattle Times

“It’s definitely a nailbiter for the guys that are on that bubble, but it’s also a big opportunity for guys that are on the outside looking in,” said 2017 series champion Martin Truex Jr., who missed the playoffs by three points last year at Daytona.

Read more on Washington Times

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nail bednail-biter