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 a nerve-racking race against time, and one week into the World Cup, the counter-unmanned aircraft centers have been busy.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 18, 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
The college class of 2026 is entering one of the most nerve-racking job markets in recent memory.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
Former winner Shaun Murphy believed taking his driving test was "the most nerve-racking moment of my life".
From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026
I decided to use ink instead of pencil, which made the whole process nerve-racking, but I ended up with only one tiny blot.
From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly
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.
