nervy

American  

[nur-vee] / ˈnɜr vi /

adjective

nervier, nerviest

1. brashly presumptuous or insolent; pushy.

   a nervy thing to say; a nervy trick to pull.

2. having or showing courage; brave or bold.

   the nervy feats of the mountaineers.

3. strong; sinewy; vigorous.

   a hard, nervy physique.

4. Chiefly British. straining one's patience or forbearance; trying.

5. nervous; excitable; on edge.

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nervy British  

/ ˈnɜːvɪ /

adjective

1. informal tense or apprehensive

2. having or needing bravery or endurance

3. informal brash or cheeky

4. archaic muscular; sinewy

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Other Word Forms

• nerviness
  noun
• nervily
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of nervy

First recorded in 1600–10; nerve + -y ¹

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Explanation

If you're nervy, you're so outspoken and brave that you're almost rude. A nervy student isn't afraid to ask even the grouchiest teacher to explain why he's giving so much homework on a Friday. You can use nervy to simply mean "brave," but it usually carries the implication of being a bit of a smart aleck. Your nervy questions at a job interview might be seen as refreshingly straightforward, or simply cheeky and impudent. Sometimes nervy instead means "nervous," like a nervy tightrope walker who trembles and shakes with fear, but this meaning is more common in Britain than in the U.S.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nervy nervier nerviest

After a nervy opening quarter, in which England looked weighed down by expectations and permutations, they finally got going with three tries in four first-half minutes.

From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026

In a nervy, shy, 15-second speech, Doncic also unofficially introduced a new era of himself.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026

Saints, quarter-finalists last season, scored four tries at Franklin's Gardens in a nervy Pool Four encounter.

From BBC ● Oct. 18, 2026

There he would execute his first truly individual paintings, a set of cityscapes remarkable for their sweeping breadth and nervy suppression of detail.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

I had a feeling I was in the nervy group, constantly reaching for Mummy even if she didn’t want me to.

From "From Twinkle, with Love" by Sandhya Menon

That was followed by a hold to love for American third seed Fritz, which set up a nervier finish than Draper would have hoped for.

From BBC ● Mar. 13, 2025

The situation is nervier, however, with “Evil Does Not Exist,” an equally arresting, meditative follow-up which charts the emerging clash between a tight-knit rural community and a big company with intrusive development plans.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 3, 2024

Outfitted in progressively more luscious frocks by Susan Hilferty, Feldstein makes a journey from nervy tyro to nervier pro.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 24, 2022

Military flashpoints or related energy price shocks and power blackouts in Europe and elsewhere could make for an even nervier year-end than usual.

From Reuters ● Nov. 17, 2021

You'll go getting older and older and nervier and nervier, till you're so nervy that even the old ladies won't have you any more.

From The Immortal Moment The Story of Kitty Tailleur by May Sinclair

The nerviest moment for Norris came after his first pit stop, when he came up behind Tsunoda in a battle for third place.

From BBC ● Dec. 7, 2025

The nerviest conscience buster is Aniel Karia’s “The Long Goodbye,” a companion film to actor/rapper Riz Ahmed’s same-named album.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 25, 2022

“She rose fast in a business that was then dominated by men. She outmanned many of them: she was the toughest negotiator, the bluntest adversary, the nerviest deal maker,” Orlean writes.

From The New Yorker ● Nov. 24, 2019

Like all the nerviest and best auditions, this special was self-serving in the extreme, and teetered on the edge of failing.

From Time ● May 17, 2016

"You're the nerviest mate I ever shipped with, Mr. Brewster," and the captain's hand gripped Monty's in a way that meant things.

From Brewster's Millions by George Barr McCutcheon

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