nerves 1 of 2

noun

plural of nerve
as in shivers
a sense of panic or extreme nervousness a veteran performer who still gets a case of the nerves before performances

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nerves

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of nerve
as in braces
to prepare (oneself) mentally or emotionally needs to nerve himself for the big game tomorrow

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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 nerves
Noun
Where most body parts can recover from trauma to some degree, damage to our nerves isn’t granted the same latitude. — Mike McRae 21, New Atlas, 22 Oct. 2026 Steven Huefner, deputy director of the Election Law Program at Ohio State University, says poll chaplains might be able to calm the frayed nerves of a voting public that is constantly exposed to divisive rhetoric and news about political violence. — Deepa Bharath, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026 Successful IPOs for the frontier labs could soothe market nerves and help support the neocloud operators. — Michelle Fox, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2026 Multiple sclerosis damages the protective cover around one’s nerves, according to the Cleveland Clinic. — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 20 Oct. 2026 If students have nerves about speaking on school grounds, those on the peripheries of campus don’t face the same dilemma. — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 14 Oct. 2026 The idea is to sound like an inferior buck in the brush, one that is roaming around a mature deer’s space and getting on his nerves. — Michael Hanback, Outdoor Life, 14 Oct. 2026 Tina hoped that a family vacation would calm Griffith’s nerves, but Griffith was on edge. — Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 14 Oct. 2026 But as nerves kicked in, Taylor three-putted the 17th and thought his chances were dwindling. — ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nerves
  1. shivers
  2. braces
  3. fortifies
Noun
  • The best horror movies for Halloween need to offer something a little richer, that mix of shivers and catharsis that makes this time of year so darned fun.
    — Eve Batey, Vanity Fair, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The idea of seeing a total solar eclipse there sent shivers through me.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of shivers
Verb
  • High tides inundated Southern California communities with water on Monday, flooding streets from Newport Beach to Long Beach, as the region braces for days of coastal flooding from near-record or record-high sea levels this week.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
  • French President Emmanuel Macron said protests not organized by trade unions would be banned, as the Élysée braces for further unrest ahead of demonstrations planned for Saturday.
    — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of braces
Verb
  • The additional financing fortifies its position as one of two investors alongside the Ellison family controlling Paramount’s voting stock.
    — Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The addition of cotton and raw material-producing countries like Egypt and Ethiopia further fortifies a strong sourcing platform that already includes manufacturing giants India and China.
    — Mayu Saini, Footwear News, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of fortifies

Phrases Containing nerves

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nerve-racking
nerves
nerviness
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Cite this Entry

“Nerves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nerves. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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