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

Example 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 Many workers are nervous about the impact that AI may have on their jobs. —

Axios, 22 Jan. 2025 When the Fighting Irish again, with 4:15 left in regulation, a nervous tension overtook the stadium until Smith's completion. —

Andrew Greif, NBC News, 21 Jan. 2025 This year, the mood felt jubilant, with little of the unease of the last time Mr. Trump came to Washington when major corporations seemed nervous about the impacts of his administration. —

Jason Andrew, New York Times, 20 Jan. 2025 Safety and Lifespan Lithium battery fires are a challenge to put out and that makes some people understandably nervous about storing and operating a high-capacity power station in their home. —

Brad Moon, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for nervous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for nervous

Adjective

A number of men and women on Mitchell’s team were worried about their health and safety, the lawsuit says, so Mitchell raised the issue during the training sessions.

— Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 24 Jan. 2025
In the meantime, state and city health departments are worried about how the communications pause might affect their communities.

— Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2025