What does "nervous" mean?
Of sinews and tendons.; Full of sinews.
Nervous
/ˈnɜːvəs/ adj
adj ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Of sinews and tendons.; Full of sinews.
- Grammar: nervous is listed as adj.
- Nearest alternatives: anxious, neural, uneasy, acid.
- Useful contrasts: adventurous, calm, carefree.
- Usage evidence: With so many people around he naturally became a bit nervous.
How to use "nervous"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "nervous" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "nervous" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "nervous" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "nervous" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "nervous" is acting as adj in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "anxious" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "nervous", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Adjective
- 1 Of sinews and tendons.; Full of sinews. obsolete
- 2 Of sinews and tendons.; Having strong or prominent sinews; sinewy, muscular. obsolete
"[T]here is nothing in marble equal to the Venus of Medici, for ſoftneſs and tenderneſs; as there is nothing ſo ſtrong and nervous, as the Hercules Farneſe."
- 3 Of sinews and tendons.; Of a piece of writing, literary style etc.: forceful, powerful. obsolete
"Fortescutus illustratus, or a commentary on that nervous treatise De Laudibus Legum Angliæ […] [book title]"
- 4 Of nerves.; Supplied with nerves; innervated.
- 5 Of nerves.; Affecting or involving the nerves or nervous system.
"All Nervous Diſtempers whatſoever, from Yawning and Stretching, up to a mortal Fit of an Apoplexy, ſeems to me to be but one continued Diſorder, or the ſeveral Steps or Degrees of it, ariſing from a Relaxation or Weakneſs, and the want of a ſufficient Force and Elaſticity in the Solids in general, and the Nerves in particular, in Proportion to the Reſiſtance of the Fluids, in order to carry on the Circulation, remove Obſtructions, carry off the Recrements, and make the Secretions."
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 Of nerves.; Nervose. obsolete
"CANNACORUS, […] It hath a knobbed tuberoſe Root: The Leaves are long and nervous: […]"
- 7 Of nerves.; Easily agitated or alarmed; edgy, on edge.
"Being in a crowd of strangers makes me nervous."
- 8 Of nerves.; Apprehensive, anxious, hesitant, worried.
"They were looking at the table (which was spread out in great array); for these young housekeepers are always nervous on such points, and like to see that everything is right."
Adjective
- 1 unpredictably excitable (especially of horses) wordnet
- 2 excited in anticipation wordnet
- 3 easily agitated wordnet
- 4 causing or fraught with or showing anxiety wordnet
- 5 of or relating to the nervous system wordnet
Antonyms
Example
"With so many people around he naturally became a bit nervous."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "nervous"?
Common synonyms include: anxious, neural, uneasy, acid, aflutter, afraid.
How do you use "nervous" in a sentence?
With so many people around he naturally became a bit nervous.
How do you pronounce "nervous"?
Pronounced /ˈnɜːvəs/.
Etymology
From Middle English nervous (“composed of or incorporating nerves”), from Latin nervōsus (“nervous; sinewy; energetic, vigorous”), from nervus (“nerve; muscle; sinew, tendon; (figuratively) energy, power; nerve; force, strength, vigour”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *snéh₁wr̥ (“sinew, tendon”)) + -ōsus (suffix meaning ‘full of, prone to’ forming adjectives from nouns). The English word is analysable as nerve + -ous.