English Reference

Word

nervousness

Phoneticsner·vous·ness

US/ˈnɝvəsnəs/

UK/nˈɜːvəsnəs/

Definition

n. the feeling of being worried, anxious, or slightly afraid about something that is going to happen.

n. a state of being anxious or apprehensive, typically regarding an upcoming event or uncertain outcome.

Examples

“She felt a bit of nervousness before her first job interview.”

“Despite his extensive preparation, a slight nervousness remained as he stepped onto the stage to address the large crowd.”

“The pervasive nervousness among investors led to a sharp decline in market activity as they awaited the central bank's announcement regarding interest rates.”

Examples

simple

“She felt a bit of nervousness before her first job interview.”

contextual

“Despite his extensive preparation, a slight nervousness remained as he stepped onto the stage to address the large crowd.”

complex

“The pervasive nervousness among investors led to a sharp decline in market activity as they awaited the central bank's announcement regarding interest rates.”

Usage

Often used with the preposition 'about' or 'at'.

Etymology

From nervous + -ness.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

This entry

Level
B1 · Intermediate
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/nervousness

English Reference