Nervous Meaning and Usage with Examples

Meaning 1：anxious (Nervous)

Nervous 🔊

/ˈnɜːrvəs/

adj.

Feeling worried or scared about something that might happen or before doing something.

Nervous person hunched before test with clock ticking

anxious 🔊

➕

/ˈæŋkʃəs/

adj.

A state of unease or apprehension in anticipation of a future event.

📁 Category：Physical & Mental Health 🔖 Level：初级

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'nervus' meaning sinew or nerve, originally referring to physical tension.

💡 Mnemonic

Think of 'nerve' as in 'nerve-wracking' – when you're nervous, your nerves are on edge.

📖 Example

He was so nervous before the exam that his hands were shaking. 🔊 He was so nervous before the exam that his hands were shaking.

🔗 Collocations

feel nervous – to experience a state of worry or anxiety

get nervous – to become anxious or tense

make someone nervous – to cause unease in someone

🔄 Synonyms

anxious (adj.) – feeling worried or uneasy about something with an uncertain outcome

tense (adj.) – showing or feeling mental or emotional strain

apprehensive (adj.) – fearful or anxious about the future

🚫 Antonyms

calm (adj.) – not showing or feeling nervousness, anger, or other strong emotions

relaxed (adj.) – free from tension and anxiety

🌱 Derivatives

nervously (adv.) – in a way that shows anxiety or tension

nervousness (n.) – the state of being worried or scared

📖 Cultural Story

Evolved from Latin 'nervosus' meaning 'sinewy, vigorous', later shifted to describe anxiety as if one's nerves are tense. Common in modern English for pre-event jitters.