nerve-wrecking
Causing extreme tension
Nerve-wrecking is a common variant of nerve-wracking, describing something that causes extreme anxiety or stress: The wait for test results was nerve-wrecking.
Some consider this spelling an error, but it appears frequently in casual writing, perhaps influenced by the image of nerves being wrecked rather than racked.
Causing worry or tension
- tenseStrained or nervous
- agonizingIntensely painful or distressing
- nail-bitingExtremely tense or anxious
- suspensefulCreating anxious anticipation
harrowing · fraught · overwhelming · unbearable · excruciating · torturous · gut-wrenching · heart-pounding
Remaining in expectation
- countdownBackward enumeration to zero
- suspenseAnxious uncertainty about outcomes
- uncertaintyState of being unsure
- buildupGradual accumulation over time
tension · dreading · expecting · bracing · apprehension · foreboding · jitters · butterflies
Trial performance for selection
- interviewFormal questioning session
- presentationFormal display to viewers
- stage-frightFear of public performance
- examFormal knowledge assessment
test · competition · recital · tryout · debut · spotlight · judgment · evaluation
Time limit for completion
- turbulenceChaotic flow patterns
- confrontationDirect hostile encounter
- negotiationDiscussion seeking mutual accord
- diagnosisIdentification of illness
results · verdict · near-miss · emergency · crisis · standoff · showdown · ultimatum
stressful
Causing worry or tension
- tenseStrained or nervous
- agonizingIntensely painful or distressing
- nail-bitingExtremely tense or anxious
suspenseful · harrowing · fraught · overwhelming · unbearable · excruciating · torturous · gut-wrenching · heart-pounding · white-knuckle
waiting
Remaining in expectation
- countdownBackward enumeration to zero
- suspenseAnxious uncertainty about outcomes
- uncertaintyState of being unsure
buildup · tension · dreading · expecting · bracing · apprehension · foreboding · jitters · butterflies · limbo
audition
Trial performance for selection
- interviewFormal questioning session
- presentationFormal display to viewers
- stage-frightFear of public performance
exam · test · competition · recital · tryout · debut · spotlight · judgment · evaluation · scrutiny
deadline
Time limit for completion
- turbulenceChaotic flow patterns
- confrontationDirect hostile encounter
- negotiationDiscussion seeking mutual accord
diagnosis · results · verdict · near-miss · emergency · crisis · standoff · showdown · ultimatum · crossroads