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Showing results for nervous wreck. Search instead for nervus phrenicus.
Synonyms

nervous wreck

Idioms  
  1. An individual suffering from extreme agitation or worry, as in Pat was a nervous wreck until her mother arrived at the wedding. This expression is nearly always used hyperbolically. [Colloquial; c. 1900] Also see basket case.


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.

See Examples For:

Meanwhile, the experts in Europe are still a nervous wreck.

From MarketWatch Jun. 18, 2026

Back then, and even now, the assumption is that any 20-year-old rookie entering the major leagues, especially one who didn’t speak English, would be quiet, a bit intimidated, often a nervous wreck.

From Los Angeles Times Oct. 27, 2024

What I got from it was this very driven woman who is extremely capable, but sort of a nervous wreck.

From Salon Feb. 1, 2024

In the note to her mother, Ms Kumar said her mental health had declined while working at the QE and she was "now a nervous wreck".

From BBC Jan. 20, 2023

At the spirit rally, I was a nervous wreck, but since I’m a smooth kind of gal, I didn’t let it show.

From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers

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