nail-biter
noun
nail-bit·er
ˈnāl-ˌbī-tər 
: something (such as a close contest) that induces tension or anxiety
Examples of nail-biter in a Sentence
a presidential election that was one of the great nail-biters of all time
Recent Examples on the Web
The state is no stranger to nail-biter races, including in 2020 when Biden bested Trump by fewer than 11,000 votes.
—
Gabriel Sandova, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2024
Related Content Bitcoin tanks to $66,000 ahead of nail-biter tech earnings
Bitcoin nears $70,000, boosted by Trump's Bitcoin conference promises
Among major cryptocurrencies, Solana, Dogecoin, and Cardano have dropped over 19%, 21%, and 17% in the past 24 hours.
—Vinamrata Chaturvedi, Quartz, 5 Aug. 2024
Andrade closed the gap between herself and Biles in the team final, setting the stage for a nail-biter ahead of Thursday's competition.
—Kaetlyn Liddy, NBC News, 1 Aug. 2024
In an unexpected nail-biter against South Sudan last weekend, Mr. James saved the day for Team USA with a game-winning layup with eight seconds left to play.
—Ira Porter, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for nail-biter 
Gabriel Sandova, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2024
Related Content Bitcoin tanks to $66,000 ahead of nail-biter tech earnings
Bitcoin nears $70,000, boosted by Trump's Bitcoin conference promises
Among major cryptocurrencies, Solana, Dogecoin, and Cardano have dropped over 19%, 21%, and 17% in the past 24 hours.
—Vinamrata Chaturvedi, Quartz, 5 Aug. 2024
Andrade closed the gap between herself and Biles in the team final, setting the stage for a nail-biter ahead of Thursday's competition.
—Kaetlyn Liddy, NBC News, 1 Aug. 2024
In an unexpected nail-biter against South Sudan last weekend, Mr. James saved the day for Team USA with a game-winning layup with eight seconds left to play.
—Ira Porter, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for nail-biter
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nail-biter.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near nail-biter
Cite this Entry
“Nail-biter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nail-biter. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
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