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

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 In fact, Murai was nervous about pulling off such a long scene of an actor effectively just reading out names and circling them with a marker pen. — Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2026 For nervous fliers, a seat in the middle—preferably over the wings—offers the most stable experience. — Bianca Lambert, Southern Living, 14 Aug. 2026 Severe illness can affect the central nervous symptom and result in hospitalization or death. — Rashad Williams, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026 Given all that, is Green nervous about working within the system once more? — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for nervous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for nervous

Adjective

Why people don’t like it Some residents are worried about how these sprawling energy farms will affect local soil, especially near farmland.

— AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 20 Aug. 2026
The drop in tech talent in the Bay Area comes as workers grow more worried that AI could lead to fewer jobs.

— Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of worried

Adjective

Security will remain in place at the schools, officials said, and counselors will be available for students who feel uneasy about attending classes.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 20 Aug. 2026
But that blend of raucous laughs (OK, well, some raucous laughs, some mere attempts at them) and real world concerns makes for an uneasy watch, ping-ponging between moods and tones in unpredictable ways.

— Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 20 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

Being anxious or nervous about this big step in your career is very normal.

— Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 24 Aug. 2026
Super teams share prompts openly, coached by leaders who use the tools themselves, which leaves them markedly less anxious about AI displacing their jobs.

— Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of anxious

Adjective

Pasadena residents are upset after a bloodied peacock was found in their neighborhood last week after what appeared to be a violent encounter with a mail carrier.

— Nicole Comstock, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
Improved Digestion Bloating, constipation, acid reflux, upset stomach—all are uncomfortable signs of indigestion after eating.

— Audrey Noble, Vogue, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of upset

Adjective

The disturbing incident comes amidst a sharp increase in both felony and misdemeanor assaults in the subway system.

— Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 19 Aug. 2026
The story follows a husband and wife who buy their dream ranch only to discover the land is alive with ancient spirits, and survival means submitting to increasingly disturbing rituals with each turn of the season.

— Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of disturbing

Adjective

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
Lavoie, who is of Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation heritage and grew up on a First Nation reserve in Quebec, was intrigued but a little apprehensive.

— Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of apprehensive

Cite this Entry

Style

“Nervous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nervous. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of nervous

adjective

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

A Case of Nerves: ‘Nervous’ vs....

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

devolve

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes

Synonyms of nervous

adjective

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Phrases Containing nervous

Browse Nearby Words

Articles Related to nervous

A Case of Nerves: ‘Nervous’ vs....

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

devolve

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes