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nervous
/ˈnɜːrvəs/
anxious or uneasy
She felt nervous before her job interview.
She was anxious and uneasy about the upcoming interview.
general
feeling or showing anxiety, stress, or unease
The students were nervous about the exam.
The students felt anxious about the upcoming test.
He gets nervous when speaking in public.
He becomes uneasy when presenting to a group.
Often used to describe temporary feelings of anxiety in specific situations.
Medicine
Medical
relating to or affecting the nerves
The doctor diagnosed a nervous condition.
The doctor identified a disorder affecting the nerves.
Less common in modern usage; often replaced by 'neurological' in medical contexts.
Collocations
nervous aboutanxious regardingnervous systemthe network of nerves in the bodyfeel nervousto experience anxiety
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Common Mistakes
Avoid using 'nervous' to describe chronic conditions like 'I'm nervous about life' (use 'anxious' instead). 'Nervous' implies situational anxiety.
Gold Rule
Context Matters
'Nervous' describes temporary feelings in specific situations (e.g., 'nervous before a test'). For general anxiety, use 'anxious' or 'apprehensive'.
Word Origin
From Latin 'nervosus' (full of nerves), from 'nervus' (nerve, sinew). Entered English in the 17th century with both physical and psychological meanings.
Usage Notes
Commonly used in everyday speech to describe temporary anxiety. Avoid overusing in formal writing where 'anxious' or 'apprehensive' may be more precise.
Word Breakdown
nerv
nerve
root-ous
full of
suffixEnglish Dictionary