1
a
: timid, apprehensive
a nervous smile
nervous of strangers
b
: easily excited or irritated : jumpy
… so nervous that he had to be escorted outside court to vomit …—Kevin Johnson and Andrea Stone
c
: of or relating to the nerves
also
: originating in or affected by the nerves
nervous energy
a nervous twitch
2
a
: tending to produce nervousness or agitation : uneasy
a nervous situation
His face was twisted in nervous anticipation.—Dagoberto Gilb
b
: appearing or acting unsteady, erratic, or irregular
—used of inanimate things
… climbed carefully into his nervous kayak …—Farley Mowat
3
: of, relating to, or composed of neurons
4
: marked by strength of thought, feeling, or style : spirited
a vibrant tight-packed nervous style of writing
nervously
adverb
nervousness
noun
Cite this Entry
“Nervous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nervous. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.
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