nervous

nervous — adjective

1. feeling worried or uneasy about something that may happen, especially when you h

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

feeling worried or uneasy about something that may happen, especially when you have to face an unfamiliar, difficult, or important situation — for example, being nervous before a job interview, an exam, or a speech.

Example

Élise felt nervous about her job interview at the hospital.

nervous + about + noun — common preposition pattern

Chidi was too nervous to eat dinner before his big exam the next morning.

too nervous to + infinitive — structure for degree

Common collocations
  • feel nervous
  • get nervous
  • look nervous
  • make someone nervous
  • nervous about
  • nervous before
  • too nervous to
  • so nervous that
Synonyms
  • anxious

    Stronger sense of worry than 'nervous'; often also implies a sense of dread about the outcome

  • tense

    Describes the physical feeling of tight muscles and inability to relax, not just mental worry

  • on edge

    Informal phrase meaning irritable and easily upset because of worry

Antonyms
  • calm

    Relaxed and untroubled, the opposite of feeling nervous

  • relaxed

    Free from worry or tension

Grammar Patterns

nervous + about + noun/gerund

nervous + of + noun/gerund

nervous + infinitive

Usage Note

Used for temporary states triggered by a specific upcoming event. For a lasting personality trait, see sense 3. Often combines with 'about' (the cause), 'of' (the feared thing), or an infinitive clause ('nervous to speak').

Common Mistakes

I am nervous from the exam.
I am nervous about the exam.
'About' introduces the cause, not 'from'.
She is very nervous, but she is not nervous about anything.
She feels uneasy and worried, but she is not nervous about anything in particular.
'Nervous' without 'about' suggests a general sense of worry; be clear if there is a specific trigger.

2. relating to the body's system of nerves, which carry signals between the brain a

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

relating to the body's system of nerves, which carry signals between the brain and all the other parts of the body.

Example

The doctor explained that the pain was caused by a damaged nervous system.

nervous + system — most common medical collocation

Élise developed a rare nervous disorder that affects her sense of balance.

Common collocations
  • nervous system
  • nervous disorder
  • nervous condition
  • nervous tissue
  • nervous damage
Synonyms
  • neural

    More technical; used specifically for nerves or neurons rather than the whole system

  • nerve

    Used as a noun modifier ('nerve damage') in everyday language; less technical than 'nervous'

Grammar Patterns

nervous + system/damage/disorder/condition

Usage Note

This sense is almost always used before a noun (attributive position). It is a technical or medical term and is not used for everyday feelings of worry — that sense is covered by sense 1.

Common Mistakes

I feel nervous system today.
I have a nervous system disorder.
'Nervous system' is a noun phrase, not an adjective describing how you feel.
She is very nervous — she has a problem with her nerves.
She has a nervous condition.
The medical sense requires 'nervous' before a noun like 'condition', 'disorder', or 'system'.

3. having a personality that makes you feel worried, frightened, or upset easily, e

3.adjectiveB2
Definition

having a personality that makes you feel worried, frightened, or upset easily, even about small or ordinary things — for example, a person who jumps at loud noises or who worries about everyday situations that others find easy.

Example

Chidi is a nervous driver who grips the steering wheel tightly the whole trip.

nervous + driver/traveler/flyer — trait-as-modifier pattern

Their rescue dog is still very nervous around strangers despite years of training.

nervous around + noun — preposition for context of fear

Common collocations
  • nervous person
  • nervous by nature
  • nervous driver
  • nervous flyer
  • nervous around strangers
  • a nervous animal
Synonyms
  • jumpy

    Informal; describes someone who reacts with a sudden startled movement to unexpected stimuli

  • skittish

    Typically used for animals, but can describe people who are easily frightened in social situations

  • high-strung

    Describes someone who is extremely sensitive and reacts strongly to stress; US English

Antonyms
  • easygoing

    Relaxed and not easily worried or upset

  • placid

    Calm and undisturbed by what happens around them

Grammar Patterns

nervous + by nature

nervous + about + everything/anything

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1: this sense describes a person's (or animal's) general character, not a temporary state. Compare 'I am nervous about the exam' (sense 1, temporary) with 'He is a nervous person who worries about everything' (sense 3, character).

Common Mistakes

My cat is always nervous, but today she is especially nervous about the visitors.' (ambiguous).
My cat is a nervous animal by nature, and today the visitors are making her even more nervous.
Clarify whether you mean a character trait (sense 3) or a temporary reaction (sense 1).
Idioms

nervous breakdown

idiom

a period of mental illness or severe emotional stress that makes someone unable to function in their everyday life; not a formal medical term but widely used in everyday language.

After months of working day and night, Chidi suffered a nervous breakdown and had to take a long break from his job.

nervous wreck

idiom

a person who is extremely worried, anxious, or stressed, often because of a specific situation they are dealing with.

Élise was a nervous wreck during the final round of the competition.

nervous laughter

idiom

laughter that comes from feeling uncomfortable, anxious, or awkward rather than from genuine amusement.

Christopher let out a burst of nervous laughter when the teacher asked him the difficult question.

nervous energy

idiom

a feeling of restlessness or physical tension that comes from anxiety and makes you want to move around or do something.

The dancer paced backstage, burning off nervous energy before the curtain rose.

be frightened/nervous/scared of your own shadow

idiom

This means someone gets scared or worried very easily, even by things that are not dangerous.

After the horror movie, Mia was scared of her own shadow.

Don't be nervous of your own shadow; it's just a dark room.

Word family

  • nerve
    nounB1
  • nervously
    adverbB1
  • nervousness
    nounB1
  • unnerve
    verbC1
  • nerve-racking
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

'Nervous', 'anxious', 'tense', and 'worried' all describe unpleasant feelings about something uncertain, but they differ in focus. 'Nervous' is the most general and everyday word — it describes the jittery, uneasy feeling you get before a specific event like a test or a first date. 'Anxious' is stronger and often implies a longer-lasting fear about the outcome, sometimes without a clear trigger; it can also have a clinical meaning in 'anxiety disorder'. 'Tense' emphasises the physical side — tight muscles, shallow breathing, difficulty relaxing — and is common when describing the atmosphere in a room. 'Worried' focuses on the thinking side: you run through problems in your head and cannot stop. For example, 'I was nervous before my speech, but once I started, I felt fine' would not work with 'worried', which suggests the concern continued.

nervous ↗anxious ↗tense ↗worried ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • extremely nervous
  • very nervous
  • a little nervous
  • increasingly nervous
  • visibly nervous

Phrases

  • make someone nervous
  • get nervous
  • feel nervous
  • look nervous
  • too nervous to
  • so nervous that

Prepositions

  • nervous about
  • nervous of
  • nervous around
  • nervous before
  • nervous in front of

Etymology

LatinEnglish

The word 'nervous' comes from the Latin 'nervosus', meaning 'full of sinews' or 'sinewy', from 'nervus' ('sinew, tendon'). In early English (15th century), 'nervous' literally meant 'strong, vigorous, sinewy'. By the 17th century it had shifted to describe the nerves themselves, as the same Latin root was used for the body's nerve fibres. The modern meaning — 'easily agitated, timid, anxious' — developed in the 18th century, following the idea that people with sensitive or 'weak' nerves were prone to worry and fear. The medical phrase 'nervous system' was established around the same time.