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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 The workers who remain are nervous about the long-term stability of their jobs. Emily Anthes, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2025 Consumers are particularly nervous about rising prices, with the outlook for inflation a year from now jumping to 6% — double the current rate. Scott Horsley, NPR, 25 Feb. 2025 Everyone with you at dinner is very nervous, though. Madeline Goetz, The New Yorker, 25 Feb. 2025 Atop all this, Floria is charged with supervising nervous, error-prone student nurse Amelie (Selma) — tempers fray as precious time runs out. Guy Lodge, Variety, 17 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for nervous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nervous
Adjective
  • Given his fake news rhetoric, Trump is certainly not worried about media reports, traditionally a strong external check on presidential power.
    Sergei Klebnikov, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
  • In my neighborhood, people are worried about rising costs of everything.
    Robin Holmes, Baltimore Sun, 1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Some medical and public-health institutions have settled into an uneasy détente with smoking alternatives.
    Carrie Battan, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
  • Based on the Chinese novel Fengshen Yanyi (Investiture Of The Gods), the story follows a demon child raised by humans, who forms an uneasy alliance with the dragon prince, Ao Bing, in an epic battle to protect their clans.
    Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 10 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Star is probably the most excitable person in the history of the show.
    Dalton Ross, EW.com, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Something that had been anticipated for a while finally went down Wednesday night, adding to the already excitable atmosphere pulsating throughout Crypto.com Arena.
    Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • While many companies rapidly integrate AI, this data reveals a growing disconnect: employees are increasingly anxious about its impact.
    Julian Hayes II, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
  • But raising cash remains a challenge for some, with investors anxious about startups courting enough customers for healthy returns, Pershad said.
    Liang Lei, CNBC, 26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Jones, still vigorous at seventy-two, moves through space with ferocious intent while conjuring stories from the past: early dance sensations, tense interactions with the legendary Ailey, and clashes with critics who tried to box him in as a Black artist.
    Shauna Lyon, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2025
  • The removal occurred during a tense exchange between Trump and Zelensky.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Men’s Pro Singles Recap The venue was rocked by a huge upset on Thursday afternoon, when 16-yr old Floridian No. 40 seed John Lucian Goins shocked the No. 1 seed Ben Johns in the quarters.
    Todd Boss, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
  • Was this one of those days for an unthinkable upset?
    Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 9 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The fact that adult writers are spending their time dissecting my face, my body, my choices is disturbing.
    Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 3 Mar. 2025
  • These findings should be deeply disturbing to Western policymakers, for at least two reasons.
    Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Too often, middle managers can be apprehensive about sharing bad news with the C-suite.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
  • Automation has reshaped entire industries, leaving many workers apprehensive about their future.
    Brent Gleeson, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Nervous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nervous. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on nervous

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