nerve-wracking
Causing tense anticipation
Nerve-wracking describes something that causes extreme anxiety or tension: The job interview was nerve-wracking, a nerve-wracking wait for test results.
The image is of nerves being stretched on a rack—a medieval torture device.
Also spelled nerve-racking, which some consider more etymologically correct, though both are standard.
Anxious uncertainty about outcomes
- edgyTense and irritable
- jitteryAnxiously restless
- uneasyTroubled, not calm
- unsettlingCausing unease or discomfort
disquieting · tense · strained · agitated · twitchy · on-edge · overwrought · antsy
Causing worry or tension
- exhaustingDepleting one's stamina
- overwhelmingIntensely excessive in force
- taxingRequiring great effort
- gruelingExtremely tiring and demanding
arduous · challenging · daunting · draining · trying · difficult · high-pressure · intense
Nervous anticipation of trouble
- dreadIntense anticipatory fear
- uneaseMild persistent worry
- worryTroubled mental state
- trepidationFearful uncertainty
anxiousness · nervousness · disquiet · angst · distress · foreboding · alarm · anticipation
suspense
Anxious uncertainty about outcomes
unsettling · disquieting · tense · strained · agitated · twitchy · on-edge · overwrought · antsy · fidgety
stressful
Causing worry or tension
- exhaustingDepleting one's stamina
- overwhelmingIntensely excessive in force
- taxingRequiring great effort
grueling · arduous · challenging · daunting · draining · trying · difficult · high-pressure · intense · relentless
apprehension
Nervous anticipation of trouble
trepidation · anxiousness · nervousness · disquiet · angst · distress · foreboding · alarm · anticipation · butterflies
terror
Extreme, overwhelming fear
phobia · scare · nightmare · petrified · spooked · frightening · terrifying · harrowing · chilling · alarming
- Hyperbolea zillion, bazillion, gazillion, bajillion, zillion
- suspensesuspense, suspenseful, tension, nail-biter, nail-biting
- scary feelingsterrified, frightening, dreadful, creepiness, goosebumps
- exhaustingdraining, taxing, tiring, exhausting, fatiguing
- challengeschallenge, difficult, hard, challenging, tough
- shiversshiver, shivers, shudder, tremble, trembling
nerve-wrackingcalming
Inducing a settled state
soothing · relaxing · reassuring · comforting · peaceful
nerve-wrackingboring
Failing to engage interest
uneventful · dull · mundane · humdrum · tedious
nerve-wrackingagreeable
Pleasantly cooperative
pleasant · comfortable · easy · enjoyable · delightful
nerve, nervous, rack, nerves, nerved, unnerved, unnerving, nerve-racking, nerving