Another Word for Nervous

Mild · A little, in the background

jittery

Shaky, restless energy before something starts.

fidgety

You cannot keep your hands or feet still.

antsy

Informal: impatient and restless while waiting.

unsettled

Something feels slightly off and you cannot relax.

tense

Your muscles are tight and your shoulders are up.

keyed up

Alert and wired before an event.

fluttery

Light butterflies in your stomach, often before something good.

Moderate · Clearly there, hard to ignore

anxious

Ongoing worry about how something will go.

apprehensive

Uneasy about an upcoming event or result.

edgy

Irritable and on alert at the same time.

on edge

Waiting for something to go wrong.

shaky

Nerves you can see in your hands or voice.

wound up

Tension that has built up and needs a release.

uptight

Tense and rigid, finding it hard to loosen up.

flustered

Nerves that make you lose your words or your place.

Intense · Strong, taking over

panicky

Nerves rising toward panic, with a racing heart.

frantic

Nervous energy that makes you rush and scramble.

overwrought

So nervous and emotional that you are close to breaking.

beside yourself

So agitated you cannot think straight.

white-knuckled

Gripping tight through a scary or tense moment.

shaking like a leaf

Everyday phrase for nerves so strong your whole body trembles.

I'm nervous about my first day.

I'm jittery about my first day and laid out my clothes twice.

I was nervous during the presentation.

I was shaky during the presentation, my notes rattled in my hands.

She's nervous about the test results.

She's apprehensive about the test results coming Friday.

I get nervous flying.

I get white-knuckled on takeoff, every single time.

I'm a little nervous to meet his parents.

I'm a little antsy about meeting his parents this weekend.