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
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
Walking on to set after landing your big breakout role is a nerve-racking moment for any actor.
From BBC ● Apr. 23, 2026
“To find out that we’re one of the first ones to get this pilot program was a little nerve-racking at first,” said Jessica Clayton, whose two children attend Deltona High School.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 5, 2026
We scurried up the ledge, trying to keep low, and, after several nerve-racking minutes, we reached the final curve.
From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia
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.
