as in thriller
something (as a close contest) that induces much suspense as to its outcome
a presidential election that was one of the great nail-biters of all time
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Recent Examples of nail-biter
While UConn got to this stage with a nail-biter, the other three teams haven't really been tested yet in the tournament.
—
ABC News, 31 Mar. 2026
There's been thrillers, nail-biters, and a couple of upsets in the men's tournament.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 20 Mar. 2026
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is polling far behind his opposition rival heading into next month’s presidential election, but a glut of undecided voters could make the final results a nail-biter.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 17 Mar. 2026
The Best Actor race was a nail-biter right down to the final seconds.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nail-biter
ABC News, 31 Mar. 2026
There's been thrillers, nail-biters, and a couple of upsets in the men's tournament.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 20 Mar. 2026
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is polling far behind his opposition rival heading into next month’s presidential election, but a glut of undecided voters could make the final results a nail-biter.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 17 Mar. 2026
The Best Actor race was a nail-biter right down to the final seconds.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nail-biter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nail-biter
thriller
Noun
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The former is right up the alley of fans of supernatural thrillers, while the latter pulls back the curtain on the invention of reality TV.—
Kat Chen,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Apr. 2026
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Shot with cold control in black and white by cinematographer Kyle Deitz, Wiseman’s feature debut is a stylish thriller that launched at regional festivals in 2024; what must have seemed near-future about it then seems almost too present-day in 2026.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nail-biter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nail-biter. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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