nerves

British

/ nɜːvz /

plural noun

the imagined source of emotional control

my nerves won't stand it
anxiety, tension, or imbalance

she's all nerves
a very nervous person
to irritate, annoy, or upset one

"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

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.

Mollie Amkraut Mueller’s mumbling was starting to get on her husband’s nerves.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 10, 2026

But the latest earnings from the information-services company look to be steadying investors’ nerves.

From Barron's • May 5, 2026

There are a growing number of studies that suggest red light therapy in medicine has real promise - from helping us control our glucose levels to potentially healing damaged spinal nerves.

From BBC • May 2, 2026

But no matter how long it has been, El Daña and Oakley both agreed: the nerves never go away.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026

I was in the middle of a nightmare, and my nerves were on fire.

From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler

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