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

Etymology

Origin of nervy

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

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

Tim Waterer of KCM Trade said: "Traders remain somewhat nervy about the scale of the capex being committed, given lingering concerns over how long the return-on-investment phase may take to fully materialise."

From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026

Despite the nervy conclusion, the U.S. finds itself on a historic run at this World Cup.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026

Amid huge outlays on its war in Ukraine, tax rises, stubborn inflation and nervy consumers are all weighing on Russia's small companies.

From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026

Wagler smiled in relief as he walked across the room, a welcome change after a nervy first 40 minutes of the draft.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 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

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

But it would take a sharper, nervier movie than “The Comedian,” whose promising setup and shambling rhythms are ultimately deflated by a soggy final punchline, to see that promise realized.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 1, 2016

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 Sinclair, May

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

It was the nerviest, funniest thing I had seen,” wrote late-night TV star Conan O’Brien.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 12, 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

The old man is one of the pioneers in Mariposa, and they tell me that he was one of the nerviest men that ever drew a gun in this town.

From Emerson's Wife and Other Western Stories by Kelly, Florence Finch