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

as in worried

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

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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

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as in excitable

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

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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 Investors are increasingly nervous about the stock market’s over-concentration in artificial intelligence. — John Towfighi, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026 Investors appear to be nervous about the potential effect on the company’s business. — Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026 Dorm must-haves, classroom tech and more For kids heading to a new school, struggling to make friends, or feeling nervous about putting themselves out there, McBride encourages them to stay positive. — ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026 Being anxious or nervous about this big step in your career is very normal. — Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for nervous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for nervous

Adjective

It’s mainly centered on Billie, who is worried about an old Facebook post standing in the way of finding a job.

— Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
The Middle East has long worried about its dependence on the United States and has thus been diversifying its partnerships since the Arab Spring, in 2011.

— Dina Esfandiary, Foreign Affairs, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of worried

Adjective

Kurt's key takeaways Hearing AI on a 911 call would make a lot of people uneasy.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Falwell correctly sensed vulnerability in the uneasy alliance between rationalism and Christianity that had prevailed since the eighteenth-century Enlightenment.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of uneasy

Adjective

Shaffelburg’s boundless enthusiasm and high work rate led one LAFC staffer to liken him to an excitable golden retriever, a comparison the player did not challenge.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026
That’s where Barkley came in, an excitable, friendly yellow lab who is obsessed with balls and could sniff out a green tennis ball in an entire stadium of purple ones.

— Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of excitable

Adjective

After hours of argument that at times grew tense, a hearing Thursday ended without a ruling from Magistrate Judge Lauren Louis, and the Tates were returned to jail.

— Jonny Hallam, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
In Danbury, protesters have had tense confrontations with ICE officers, who responded at least once with pepper spray, according to activists.

— ABC News, ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of tense

Adjective

Common signs that your dog may be sensitive to something in their food can include frequent scratching, paw licking, gas, loose stools, occasional digestive upset, or changes in coat quality.

— Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
The thinking is that orbital data centers can leapfrog past some of the ground-level issues such as where to build them, and upset communities that don’t want to host data centers, despite their municipalities making deals for construction.

— Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of upset

Adjective

Last awards season, the gossip around town, salacious and disturbing in equal measure, was that hotel suites all over Hollywood were populated by tailors taking in gowns coming straight off the runway.

— Marti Noxon, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
The disturbing situation came to light after a tree fell on the home during a storm.

— Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of disturbing

Adjective

Fleet operators acknowledged that some drivers have been apprehensive to make the leap to zero-emission trucks because the technology is new and charging can be a challenge.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Wayne Davis, a 69, is a year old security officer from Sacramento who remained apprehensive with his eyes peeled in all directions.

— Matthew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of apprehensive

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“Nervous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nervous. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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adjective

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A Case of Nerves: ‘Nervous’ vs....

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