Word choice · B2
Nervous, anxious, apprehensive, wary, petrified
Nervous is short-term and about performing. Anxious runs for days about something that might happen. Apprehensive is uneasy about one specific event that is coming. Wary is cautious because you suspect danger. Terrified and petrified are at the extreme, and petrified adds that you cannot move.
Which word, and why
- nervous
short-term, before performing
Worried and slightly excited before something you have to do.
nervous before the exam · get nervous · nervous energy
- anxious
runs for days, about what might happen
Persistently worried about a possible future problem.
anxious about the results · an anxious wait
- apprehensiveformal
uneasy about one specific event ahead
Slightly afraid about something that is about to happen.
apprehensive about the move · a little apprehensive
- terrified
extreme fear
Extremely frightened.
terrified of spiders · absolutely terrified
- petrified
so frightened you cannot move
So afraid that you are frozen.
petrified with fear · absolutely petrified
- uneasy
a vague sense that something is wrong
Uncomfortable without being able to say why.
an uneasy feeling · uneasy about it · an uneasy silence
- wary
cautious because you suspect danger
Careful and watchful because you do not trust something.
wary of strangers · a wary look · wary about signing
- daunted
discouraged by how big the task is
Made to feel that something is too difficult to attempt.
daunted by the workload · not daunted by it
- alarmed
sudden fear at a specific discovery
Suddenly frightened by something you have just noticed.
alarmed to see · alarmed by the figures
- jitteryinformal
physically restless with nerves
Nervous in a way that shows in your hands and your movements.
jittery markets · feeling jittery
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I get before every presentation, but it goes as soon as I start talking.