What does nervously mean?
Nervously describes the way someone acts when they feel anxious, uneasy, or uncertain. The adverb can indicate an internal emotional state, as in “He waited nervously,” or a manner marked by hesitation and self-consciousness, as in “She answered nervously.” It is common in both conversation and formal prose and often suggests physical signs of anxiety, such as fidgeting, stammering, or repeatedly checking something. The word derives from nervous, which in turn comes through French from Latin nervus, meaning “sinew,” “fibre,” or “tendons”; the connection reflects the physical tension once associated with fear and anxiety. Nervously is useful because it can describe both what a person feels and how their behavior reveals that feeling.
adverbIn a nervous manner, with a feeling of anxiety, uncertainty, or apprehension. It can also describe behavior marked by fidgeting, hesitation, or self-consciousness.
- In a state of nervousness; feeling anxious, uneasy, or apprehensive.
- In a manner that displays hesitation, self-consciousness, or nervous gestures.
"She waited nervously for the interview to begin."
"He checked his watch nervously as the train approached."
"The speaker answered the question nervously but clearly."
The word nervous traces back to Latin nervus, meaning “sinew” or “fibre,” before it came to describe the anxious feelings associated with a trembling body.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does nervously come from?
The adverb nervously was formed in the 17th century from the adjective nervous and the suffix -ly. Nervous developed through Old French nervos from Latin nervosus, related to nervus, “sinew” or “fibre.” In earlier English, the adjective could refer to physical tension or strength before it came to mean anxious, unsettled, or apprehensive. Cognates include nerve, neural, and neuron.
Related word forms
How nervously is actually used
Common in everyday speech and formal writing. It often implies visible or audible signs of anxiety, such as trembling, stammering, fidgeting, or repeated checking.