neurotic
adj.adj. behaving in a way that shows you are very worried, nervous, or focused on small details. It often describes someone who finds it hard to relax because they are always anxious.
adj. characterised by excessive anxiety, emotional instability, or obsessive focus on minor details. While historically a clinical term, it is now predominantly used to describe a personality trait of persistent apprehension.
He is very neurotic about keeping his desk perfectly clean.
The character in the film is a neurotic writer who constantly worries about his health and career.
Her neurotic tendencies became more pronounced under the pressure of the deadline, leading her to check the same figures dozens of times without finding any errors.
Formed of neuro- (“of nerves or the nervous system”) + -otic (“having abnormal condition”). The initial element, in turn, is from Ancient Greek νεῦρον (neûron, “nerve”). Attested from the 17th century. Compare French névrotique.
Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'be', 'seem', or 'become'.