Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
nail-biting

nail-biting

3 4.2
Making you feel very nervous and excited while you wait to see what happens
  • adjective
  • /ˈneɪlˌbaɪtɪŋ/
  • Informal
: suspenso
  • It's going to be a fun, wild, and hot mess—and not without its fair share of nail-biting, sweat-inducing drama.
  • nail-biting drama
  • nail-biting moment
  • nail-biting game

And some of them are naturally more nail biting than others.

Examples

  • A lot of people showed up fashionably late due to the nail-biting Texas A&M vs. Alabama game.

    Blog text (26)

  • But their past four meetings, including Manning's only playoff win in 2007 (en route to his only Super Bowl win), have all been nail-biting affairs.

    Blog text (12)

  • In what can only be described as a nail biting finish.

    Spirit of the Game (2016)

  • And some of them are naturally more nail biting than others.

    Film Courage

  • It was a nail-biting election, and I was up until 2 a.m.!

    Blog text (21)

  • It took an extra period and a nail-biting finish, but Virginia Tech kept its bowl game hopes alive.

    Blog text (11)

  • The resulting score was 9-12 after four quarters of nail-biting gameplay.

    Blog text (15)

  • The often staid Supreme Court closed its 2011-2012 term in late June with a nail-biting final day decision on the Affordable Care Act.

    Blog text (4)

  • Full of twists, turns, and plenty of nail-biting suspense and scares, it seamlessly blends an emotional love affair with a shocking crime story.

    Blog text (4)

  • The final match of the tournament was a nail-biting affair, with both teams scoring until the last second.

Synonyms

nerve-racking
vsnail-biting
  • Informal
21 5.0

Makes you feel very worried and tense

is about excitement and suspense rather than strong physical stress
suspenseful
vsnail-biting
10 4.8

Making you feel nervous and unsure about what will happen

is more about excitement and anxiety together not only uncertainty
cliff-hanging
vsnail-biting
1 6.3

Makes people feel excited and nervous because the result is unknown until the last moment

is tense and anxious in general rather than focusing on last moment uncertainty
suspensive
vsnail-biting
  • Literature
8.1

Making people feel uncertain and wait to see what happens

is similar but emphasizes tension and anxiety more strongly

Antonyms

calm
106 1.0

A quiet, peaceful feeling that helps you stay steady

relaxing
81 1.0

Making you feel calm and comfortable

How Suspenseful

nail-biting
  • Informal
3 4.2
thrilling
94 3.6
tense
247 3.6
calm
680 1.0

Surface Forms

nail-biting positive

Morphology

nail-biting = nail + bite (transparent) = nail + bite + ing

Formed from 'nail' + the present participle 'biting' describing an action (biting nails), so the adjective meaning 'causing nail-biting (anxiety)' is directly inferable.

Etymology

The word nail-biting comes from the common habit of literally biting your nails when you feel 'nervous'. So a nail-biting game or story is one that keeps you in suspense and makes you feel tense and excited, just like that nervous habit.