nervousness
She felt a wave of nervousness before her job interview.
She experienced anxiety before the interview.
a state of being easily agitated or alarmed; anxiety or unease.
The nervousness before the presentation was overwhelming.
The anxiety before speaking in public was intense.
His nervousness made it hard to focus on the task.
His anxiety prevented him from concentrating.
Often used to describe temporary feelings before stressful events like exams, interviews, or performances.
Collocations
Pro Tip
Use with adjectives
Pair 'nervousness' with descriptive adjectives to specify intensity: 'slight nervousness,' 'extreme nervousness,' or 'lingering nervousness.'
Gold Rule
Avoid redundancy
Do not use 'nervousness' with redundant modifiers like 'very nervousness.' Instead, use 'extreme nervousness' or 'a lot of nervousness.'
Word Origin
From 'nervous' (14th century, relating to nerves or sinews) + '-ness' (suffix denoting state or quality). Originally tied to the nervous system's physical reactions, later extended to psychological states.
Usage Notes
Commonly used in both formal and informal contexts. Often paired with prepositions like 'about' (nervousness about the future) or 'before' (nervousness before a test).