nail-biter

noun

nail-bit·​er ˈnāl-ˌbī-tər How to pronounce nail-biter (audio)
: something (such as a close contest) that induces tension or anxiety
nail-biting adjective

Examples of nail-biter in a Sentence

a presidential election that was one of the great nail-biters of all time
Recent Examples on the Web The Texans lost a nail-biter against the Packers 24-22. Shafaq Patel, Axios, 21 Oct. 2024 The Liberty rebounded with a comfortable 80-66 win in Game 2, before Ionescu’s deep 3 capped off another nail-biter in Game 3. Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 21 Oct. 2024 Meanwhile, the third game in the American League Championship Series between the New York Yankees at the Cleveland Guardians was a nail-biter. Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 18 Oct. 2024 But that doesn't dull the intensity of Neil Marshall's claustrophobic nail-biter, which begins as a bloody exercise in survival horror before shifting into a nightmarish creature feature. Katie Rife, EW.com, 18 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for nail-biter 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nail-biter.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nail-biter was in 1950

Dictionary Entries Near nail-biter

Cite this Entry

“Nail-biter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nail-biter. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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