NERVOUS Synonyms: 145 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'nervous' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of nervous are energetic , lusty , strenuous , and vigorous . While all these words mean "having or showing great vitality and force," nervous suggests especially the forcibleness and sustained effectiveness resulting from mental vigor. // full of nervous energy

Q: When is 'energetic' a more appropriate choice than 'nervous'?

Although the words energetic and nervous have much in common, energetic suggests a capacity for intense activity. // an energetic campaigner

Q: When might 'lusty' be a better fit than 'nervous'?

While in some cases nearly identical to nervous , lusty implies exuberant energy and capacity for enjoyment. // a lusty appetite for life

Q: When is it sensible to use 'strenuous' instead of 'nervous'?

While the synonyms strenuous and nervous are close in meaning, strenuous suggests a preference for coping with the arduous or the challenging. // the strenuous life on an oil rig

Q: When can 'vigorous' be used instead of 'nervous'?

The meanings of vigorous and nervous largely overlap; however, vigorous further implies showing no signs of depletion or diminishing of freshness or robustness. // as vigorous as a youth half his age

nervous

adjective

ˈnər-vəs

Definition of nervous next

as in worried

feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty he was nervous about how he would do at the varsity basketball tryouts

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in uneasy

marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings a nervous silence filled the room as the teacher handed out the graded exams

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in excitable

easily excited by nature a nervous sort of person, she's completely thrown by anything unexpected

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective nervous contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of nervous are energetic, lusty, strenuous, and vigorous. While all these words mean "having or showing great vitality and force," nervous suggests especially the forcibleness and sustained effectiveness resulting from mental vigor.

full of nervous energy

When is energetic a more appropriate choice than nervous?

Although the words energetic and nervous have much in common, energetic suggests a capacity for intense activity.

an energetic campaigner

When might lusty be a better fit than nervous?

While in some cases nearly identical to nervous, lusty implies exuberant energy and capacity for enjoyment.

a lusty appetite for life

When is it sensible to use strenuous instead of nervous?

While the synonyms strenuous and nervous are close in meaning, strenuous suggests a preference for coping with the arduous or the challenging.

the strenuous life on an oil rig

When can vigorous be used instead of nervous?

The meanings of vigorous and nervous largely overlap; however, vigorous further implies showing no signs of depletion or diminishing of freshness or robustness.

as vigorous as a youth half his age

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of nervous Bucks that seem alert and nervous — look for twitchy ears and a constantly bobbing head — are more likely to detect you movement and are also more likely to duck arrows. —

Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 6 Nov. 2024 Voters interviewed at polling sites described losing sleep and waking up early, nervous and worried over who would win the election. —

Daniel Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024 As the presidential election enters the final stretch, Democrats are increasingly nervous about the outcome. —

Christine Adams / Made By History, TIME, 5 Nov. 2024 That’s why Trump, who closely follows the stock market and obsessed over it as president, should be nervous about the recent trend on Wall Street. —

Matt Egan, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for nervous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for nervous

Adjective

Ben Affleck is not worried about AI taking over Hollywood.

Zack Sharf, Variety, 18 Nov. 2024
At the same time, Democrats hoped that all their voters would be willing to cast their ballot for democracy, not realizing that many working-class Americans, even the liberal ones, are more worried about the economy and inflation.

Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2024