Nerve-Wracking
/ˈnɜːrv ˌrækɪŋ/noun
Causing intense anxiety, stress, or tension.
Did you know?Although the phrase is modern, it became popular in the 20th century by vividly borrowing the older English verb wrack, meaning to torture, strain, or wreck—so the word feels physical because it once was.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wegʷ-
“to be strong, lively, or active”
Old English
OE
nerf
“a sinew or tendon; later, a nerve”
Old English
OE
wræcan
“to drive, punish, or persecute”
Middle English
ME
wrakken / wrake
“to torment, avenge, or violently strain”
16th Century
English
wrack
“to wreck, torture, or cause ruin”
20th Century
English
nerve-wracking
“causing mental strain or extreme anxiety”