nervous
Americanadjective
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highly excitable; unnaturally or acutely uneasy or apprehensive.
to become nervous under stress.
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of or relating to the nerves.
nervous tension.
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affecting the nerves.
nervous diseases.
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experiencing, characterized by, or originating in a nervous system disorder.
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characterized by or attended with acute uneasiness or apprehension.
a nervous moment for us all.
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having or containing nerves.
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sinewy or strong.
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Archaic. vigorous or spirited.
adjective
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very excitable or sensitive; highly strung
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(often foll by of) apprehensive or worried
I'm nervous of traffic
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of, relating to, or containing nerves; neural
nervous tissue
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affecting the nerves or nervous tissue
a nervous disease
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archaic active, vigorous, or forceful
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of nervous
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin nervōsus “sinewy,” equivalent to nerv(us) nerve + -ōsus -ous
Explanation
You know that queasy, uneasy feeling you get before a test? That's a nervous feeling. Everyone gets nervous sometimes. Being nervous is a major part of life that everyone has to deal with at times. Some people are more nervous than others, but we all get nervous about certain things — for example, having to perform in front of a crowd makes most people nervous. Getting interviewed for a job is a nervous experience. When the stock market keeps going up or down, you could say it's a nervous stock market. Nervous also applies to the body's nervous system, which includes your brain, spinal cord, and the nerves throughout your body. If you think you injured your nervous system, that's a good reason to be nervous.
Vocabulary lists containing nervous
Emotions on Display
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"Seventh Grade" by Gary Soto
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Yikes! Synonyms for "Scared"
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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.
Sandro Tonali anticipated being "more nervous" than usual about coming up against former club Newcastle United for the first time.
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
“My mom was waiting up for me because she was nervous about me driving home at 2 a.m. from a shoot,” he recalls.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026
Yet just as economists are nervous about an escalation in the Middle East conflict, they also worry the AI boom might not last.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
The researchers are now investigating ways to alter activity in the locus coeruleus without affecting opioid receptors throughout the rest of the nervous system.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 27, 2026
The first time Chase had enrolled himself in a new school he’d been nervous.
From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith
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.
