nail-biter
Americannoun
-
a person who bites their nails, especially habitually.
-
a situation marked by anxiety or tension.
Other Word Forms
- nail-biting noun
Etymology
Origin of nail-biter
1970–75
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On Sunday, McCullum was seen sending messages via walkie-talkie to the England players during drinks breaks as they squeezed home against Nepal in a last-ball nail-biter in Mumbai.
From Barron's • Feb. 10, 2026
Two costly fumbles and two interceptions led to a nail-biter of a playoff game.
From Salon • Jan. 18, 2026
It’s enough to make a nail-biter out of me.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 12, 2025
Snores weren’t a problem at “Sirât,” a nail-biter that had its midnight crowd wide awake.
From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2025
He'd been a nail-biter when he was a kid, but he'd kicked the habit when we got to high school.
From Little Brother by Doctorow, Cory
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
