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.
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 exchanges are nerve-racking, “but they are friendly with me because I am a Muslim,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 9, 2026
Walking on to set after landing your big breakout role is a nerve-racking moment for any actor.
From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026
It’s nerve-racking enough for parents watching their son or daughter pitch.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 25, 2026
Harlan’s trips to and from the store became a hundred times more nerve-racking than before.
From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols
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.
