Definitions
01worried or anxious
A2 · Elementary
adj. feeling worried, afraid, or slightly anxious about something that is going to happen.
adj. experiencing or manifesting apprehension, anxiety, or unease, typically regarding a future event or uncertain outcome.
日本語:ナーバス※
Español:nervioso
“I felt very nervous before my first job interview, but it went well.”
“The young pianist was visibly nervous as she walked onto the stage, though her hands remained perfectly steady once the performance began.”
Pitfall
I am nervous for the exam.
I am nervous about the exam.
While 'for' is sometimes heard in casual speech, 'about' is the standard preposition used to describe the cause of nervousness.
Synonyms
02relating to nerves
B2 · Upper Intermediate Medicine Technical
adj. relating to the nerves in your body that carry messages to the brain.
adj. relating to the biological nerves or the system that transmits impulses through the body.
“The nervous system helps your brain communicate with the rest of your body.”
“The patient suffered from a rare nervous disorder that affected his motor skills and coordination.”
Usage
Commonly used in the fixed phrase 'nervous system'.
Synonyms
03easily frightened
B1 · Intermediate
adj. having a personality that is easily worried or scared.
adj. possessing a highly excitable or easily agitated temperament.
日本語:神経質※
“The horse is quite nervous, so please move slowly and keep your voice down.”
“The rescue dog was initially very nervous around strangers, cowering whenever someone approached his kennel too quickly.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “nervous” in context.
Real-World Examples
“The internet is full of warnings about our ‘dysregulated’ nervous systems.” “Markets were nervous after the latest escalation in Middle East tensions but investors hope the new U.S. attacks on Iran after an Apache helicopter was downed near the Strait of Hormuz will not derail an eventual peace deal to end the war.” Etymology
From Middle English nervous (“composed of or incorporating nerves”), from Latin nervōsus (“nervous; sinewy; energetic, vigorous”), from nervus (“nerve; muscle; sinew, tendon; (figuratively) energy, power; nerve; force, strength, vigour”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *snéh₁wr̥ (“sinew, tendon”)) + -ōsus (suffix meaning ‘full of, prone to’ forming adjectives from nouns). The English word is analysable as nerve + -ous.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Idioms
01. nervous hit
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- A2 · ElementaryOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/nervous
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「日本語」「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0