nail biter

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word nail biter. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word nail biter, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say nail biter in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word nail biter you have here. The definition of the word nail biter will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofnail biter, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
See also: nailbiter and nail-biter

English

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

Noun

nail biter (plural nail biters)

  1. (literal) One who habitually bites or chews their fingernails.
  2. (figurative) A situation which causes anxiety, suspense, nervousness or discomfort.
    Synonym: cliffhanger
    It was a real nail biter waiting for the test results.
    • 2018 August 8, Frank Bruni, “A Nail-Biter in Ohio Is a Democratic Triumph”, in New York Times:
      And in a shockingly misogynistic ad, Republicans placed an image of O’Connor in a huddle of three supposedly nightmarish mascots of liberalism, all women: Pelosi, Elizabeth Warren and Hillary Clinton. O’Connor absorbed all of this and still turned the race into a nail-biter.