nerveless

American

[nurv-lis] / ˈnɜrv lɪs /

adjective

without nervousness, as in emergencies; calm; collected.
lacking strength or vigor; feeble; weak.
lacking firmness or courage; spiritless; cowardly.
Anatomy, Botany. having no nerves.

nerveless British

/ ˈnɜːvlɪs /

adjective

calm and collected
listless or feeble

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

nervelessly adverb
nervelessness noun

Etymology

Origin of nerveless

First recorded in 1725–35; nerve + -less

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.

Yamamoto's nerveless contribution on Saturday -- which saw him shepherd the Dodgers over the line in a nail-biting 11th inning -- left team-mates and coaching staff in disbelief.

From Barron's • Nov. 2, 2025

Joe Root’s nerveless half-century helped England overcome some significant scares to defeat Sri Lanka on a tense fourth day of the first Test at Emirates Old Trafford.

From BBC • Aug. 24, 2024

Once the glasses came off, the 25-year-old turned into a pommel machine, and delivered a nerveless performances in both the team and individual events.

From BBC • Aug. 11, 2024

Even as the tied game ticked into extra time, the match felt strangely nerveless.

From New York Times • Apr. 19, 2024

Once more Aragorn bruised two leaves of athelas and cast them into steaming water; and he laved her brow with it, and her right arm lying cold and nerveless on the coverlet.

From "The Return of the King" by J.R.R. Tolkien

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