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.
“It’s nerve-racking and worth watching,” he said, with margin debt likely targeting areas of the market with momentum.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026
One of the ex-Rockstar workers involved in the tribunal, Jack Hoxby, told BBC Newsbeat the approaching court date was "nerve-racking".
From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026
The product offers clinicians an easy way to learn without having to practice on patients already undergoing nerve-racking procedures.
From Slate ● Jun. 7, 2026
Conrad: For me, just the idea of bringing cameras back into my life was very nerve-racking, but we were all executive producers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 9, 2026
The sheer volume of people is nerve-racking, but the joy in being able to leave his flat whenever he chooses outweighs his fear of accidentally bumping into passersby as he attempts to traverse the streets.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
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.
