nervousness
Butterflies in stomach
Nervousness is a state of unease, anxiety, or apprehension—the jittery feeling before a job interview, first date, or public speech.
It manifests physically: sweaty palms, racing heart, restless fidgeting.
Her nervousness showed in the way she kept checking her phone.
Unlike deeper anxiety, nervousness is usually temporary and tied to specific situations.
Troubled mental state
- uneaseMild persistent worry
- apprehensionNervous anticipation of trouble
- dreadIntense anticipatory fear
- anxiousnessWorried, unsettled mental state
agitation · restlessness · disquiet · trepidation · fretfulness · edginess · angst · distress
Nervous anticipation of trouble
- expectancyLikelihood of occurrence
- forebodingFearful anticipation of harm
- suspenseAnxious uncertainty about outcomes
- butterfliesFluttering insects or nervousness
pre-game · stage-fright · performance-anxiety · countdown · waiting · buildup
Involuntary shaking motion
- shakingRapid involuntary movement
- sweatingMoisture through pores
- palpitationsAwareness of abnormal heartbeat
- butterfliesFluttering insects or nervousness
quivering · shakiness · fidgeting · twitching · stammering · blushing · nausea · dizziness
Persistent irrational dread
- frightSudden intense fear
- panicUncontrollable sudden fear
- alarmUrgent warning signal
- scareCause sudden fright
terror · intimidation · timidity · cowardice · spooked · startled · petrified · fearfulness
Force upon contact
- overwhelmDefeat by excess
- strainExcessive stretching force
- burnoutChronic occupational depletion
- exhaustionState of utter depletion
tension · cortisol · adrenaline · frazzled · overworked · deadline · demands · workload
Uncertainty about oneself
- self-consciousnessUncomfortable awareness of oneself
- inadequacyState of being insufficient
- uncertaintyState of being unsure
- vulnerabilityOpenness to harm
diffidence · hesitancy · doubt · second-guessing · inferiority · shyness · bashfulness · meekness
Nervously reactive to stimuli
- jitteryAnxiously restless
- fidgetyNervously unable to settle
- twitchyNervously prone to spasms
- skittishProne to nervous fright
restless · antsy · squirmy · high-strung · wound-up · keyed-up · hyper · overstrung
Dwelling excessively on thoughts
- worryingAnxious mental preoccupation
- broodingAnxiously dwelling on something
- obsessingThinking about compulsively
- dwellingPlace of residence
replaying · overanalyzing · fixating · spiraling · catastrophizing · what-ifs · preoccupation · perseveration
worry
Troubled mental state
- uneaseMild persistent worry
- apprehensionNervous anticipation of trouble
- dreadIntense anticipatory fear
anxiousness · agitation · restlessness · disquiet · trepidation · fretfulness · edginess · angst · distress · foreboding
apprehension
Nervous anticipation of trouble
- expectancyLikelihood of occurrence
- forebodingFearful anticipation of harm
- suspenseAnxious uncertainty about outcomes
butterflies · pre-game · stage-fright · performance-anxiety · countdown · waiting · buildup
trembling
Involuntary shaking motion
- shakingRapid involuntary movement
- sweatingMoisture through pores
- palpitationsAwareness of abnormal heartbeat
butterflies · quivering · shakiness · fidgeting · twitching · stammering · blushing · nausea · dizziness · lightheadedness
phobia
Persistent irrational dread
scare · terror · intimidation · timidity · cowardice · spooked · startled · petrified · fearfulness · scared
pressure
Force upon contact
exhaustion · tension · cortisol · adrenaline · frazzled · overworked · deadline · demands · workload · frayed
self-doubt
Uncertainty about oneself
- self-consciousnessUncomfortable awareness of oneself
- inadequacyState of being insufficient
- uncertaintyState of being unsure
vulnerability · diffidence · hesitancy · doubt · second-guessing · inferiority · shyness · bashfulness · meekness · timidness
jumpy
Nervously reactive to stimuli
skittish · restless · antsy · squirmy · high-strung · wound-up · keyed-up · hyper · overstrung · excitable
overthinking
Dwelling excessively on thoughts
- worryingAnxious mental preoccupation
- broodingAnxiously dwelling on something
- obsessingThinking about compulsively
dwelling · replaying · overanalyzing · fixating · spiraling · catastrophizing · what-ifs · preoccupation · perseveration · fretting
- Anxietyanxiety, panic, worry, generalized anxiety, dread
- bad feelingssadness, anger, fear, grief, sorrow
- agitationagitation, anxiety, worry, unease, restlessness
- anxietiesworry, angst, dread, apprehension, unease
- behavioral cuesbody language, facial expression, eye contact, posture, gestures
- discomfortunease, uneasiness, discomfort, malaise, distress
nervousnesscalmness
Peaceful mental state
calm · serenity · tranquility · peace · peacefulness
nervousnesscomposure
Emotional self-control
poise · collectedness · coolness · steadiness · self-possession
nervousnessconfidence
Self-assurance or trust
self-assurance · boldness · assurance · self-confidence · fearlessness
nerve, nervous, nerves, nervy, nervously, neurotic, nerved, neural, enervate