A touch of nervousness is besetting me because I have a German exam tomorrow.
Source: tatoeba (1555936)
Nervousness
Synonyms for "nervousness" (241 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (49)
agitabilityagitationalarmall oversall-oversallergyanaphylaxisangstanxietyanxiety hysteriaanxiety neurosisanxious benchanxious concernanxious seatanxiousnessapprehensionapprehensivenessbitebitingnessbluster
Show 22 more words
bobberyboilboilingbrouhahabuck feverbustlecankerworm of carecarechills of fearchurncold creepscold shiverscold sweatcombustibilitycommotionconcernconcernmentconsideratenessconturbationcreepscuttingnessdelicacy
Noun(7 words)
Strong matches (72)
discomposuredisorderdisquietdisquietudedistressdisturbancedreaddriveebullitionedginesseffectivenessembroilmentemotional instabilityemotionalismempathyeruptivenessexcitabilityexcitablenessexcitementexplosiveness
Show 40 more words
exquisitenessfearfear and tremblingfermentfermentationfeverfeverishnessfidgetfidgetsfinenessflapflurryflusterflutterationfomentforceforcefulnessforebodingforebodingnessfumefussgoose bumpsgoosefleshgutsheartquakehorripilationhorrorhubbubhurly burlyhurly-burlyhyperesthesiahyperpathiahypersensitivityidentificationimpressivenessincisivenessinflammabilityinquietudeirascibilityirritability
Adjective(3 words)
emotional sweatinggeneralized anxietyhigh anxiety
Noun(9 words)
Related words (120)
jimjamsjittersjumpinesslatent violencemaelstrommalaisemisgivingmoilmordancynervenervinessnervositynervous strainnervous tensionoveranxietyoversensibilityoversensitivenessovertendernesspalpitationpanic
Show 81 more words
passibilityperceptivenessperceptivityperturbabilityperturbationphobiaphotophobiapins and needlespoignancypowerpricklinesspuckerpunchquakingqualmquiver of terrorresponsivenessrestlessnessroilroutrowseetheseethingsensitivenesssensitivitysensitizationshivershiverssinewsinewinessskittishnesssolicitudesorenessstage frightstartlishnessstewstirstrainstrengthstrong languagesupersensitivitysuspensesweatswirlsympathytacttactfulnesstempestuousnesstendernesstensiontetchinessthin skinthrill of fearticticklishnessto doto-dotouchinesstrenchancytrepidationtrepiditytroubletumulttumultuationturbidityturbulenceturmoiltwitchingtwitteruneaseuneasinessunquietnessunrestupsetvaporvexationvigorvigorousnessviolencevitalityzeal
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: agitability, agitation, agitations, alarm, all overs.
- Sentence evidence is available for nervousness, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, derived_reverse, opengloss, wordnet, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "nervousness".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "nervousness"
Keep "nervousness" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "nervousness" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "nervousness", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "nervousness" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
13 entriesaffective stateanxietybodily responsedispositionemotional responseemotional statemental conditionmental statephysiological arousalpsychological conditionpsychological statesocial traittemperament
More specific
10 entriesbashfulnessjitterspalpitationsperformance anxietypresentation anxietyrapid breathingreticencestage frighttest anxietytremors
Collocations
6 entriesacute nervousnessnervousness about testsnervousness before examsnervousness during presentationspublic nervousnessvisible nervousness
Inflections
1 entriesDerivations
2 entriesSample sentences
11 total sentences available.
Tom tried to hide his nervousness.
Source: tatoeba (2770603)
Tom was undoubtedly the most intelligent student in the entire school, but whenever the teacher asked him a question for which he was not prepared, he was filled with such nervousness that he would become confused, and something utterly incomprehensible would issue from his mouth as soon as he opened it.
Source: tatoeba (2774736)
The silent man seemed even more clumsy than usual, and drank champagne with regularity and determination out of sheer nervousness.
Source: tatoeba (3719488)
Showing 4 of 11 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "nervousness"?
Closest matches include agitability, agitation, agitations, alarm, all overs.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "nervousness"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.