Synonyms

nervousness

American

[nur-vuhs-nis] / ˈnɜr vəs nɪs /

noun

the state or condition of being highly, acutely, or unnaturally uneasy or excitable.

There is always an element of nervousness or stage fright in public speaking.
High levels of thyroid hormones can cause side effects such as weight loss, rapid heart rate, and nervousness.

Other Word Forms

nonnervousness noun
overnervousness noun
seminervousness noun
unnervousness noun

Etymology

Origin of nervousness

nervous ( def. ) + -ness ( def. )

Explanation

Nervousness is a quality of feeling anxious, worried, or alarmed. Your nervousness about flying in an airplane for the first time shouldn't keep you from fulfilling your dream of traveling to Iceland! Nervousness takes many forms. What's thrilling to one person —skydiving, public speaking, hosting a party — makes others feel nervous down to their bones. Your dog's nervousness around loud city traffic might finally convince you to move to the country, while your brother might end up outgrowing his nervousness around animals and wind up becoming a vet someday. Nervousness can involve sweating and trembling, or it can be invisible to observers.

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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.

You've got a cool, calm and controlled European captain in Luke Donald, while his US counterpart Keegan Bradley has a nervousness in his look.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

Oil prices have risen above $100 a barrel, but Julius Baer said the increase may still be short-lived as the surge seems to come from nervousness and sentiment.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 9, 2026

The price of major cryptocurrencies were falling early Monday, amid market nervousness linked to the status of U.S. trade tariffs.

From Barron's • Feb. 23, 2026

There was nervousness in the arena, but nobody predicted such an abrupt ending.

From BBC • Feb. 7, 2026

The pellets had been only momentarily painful, but the incident increased the young dog’s wary nervousness.

From "The Incredible Journey" by Sheila Burnford

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023