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flustered - Agitated or confused

Studying quantum mechanics was difficult for Tom because all it did was make him confused and flustered.

adjective

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touchy - Easily offended or sensitive to criticism or comments.

Be careful what you say—he’s really touchy about his artwork.

adjective

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temperamental - Liable to sudden changes in mood or behavior; unpredictable in temperament.

His temperamental nature and frequent outbursts made it hard for the team to rely on him during stressful situations.

verb

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stutter - To speak with involuntary disruptions or repetitions of sounds, often at the beginning of words, due to a speech difficulty.

During the presentation, she began to stutter when she got nervous.

adjective

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frazzled - To feel completely exhausted and worn out, and unable to think straight, after a great deal of mental or physical effort

After being up two nights in a row writing a 60 page history paper, and drinking 60 cups of coffee, Simon's mind felt frazzled.

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defensive - To put oneself in a position that is intended to protect oneself.

One of the challenges of a therapist is to achieve the trust of the patient, and overcome the patient's defensive behavior.

adjective

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frantic - Wild or distraught with fear, anxiety, or other emotion

Between his two jobs and high debts, Randy was always frantic about how to deal with his life.

adjective

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insecure - Lacking confidence or self-assurance; feeling unsure about oneself.

When the disease caused blotches on her face, she felt insecure whenever she was with people.

adjective

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stickler - Someone who is very particular or fussy about a specific thing.

She spends a lot of time cleaning the house, because she's a stickler for neatness and cleanliness.

noun

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tenterhooks - Waiting nervously for something to happen.

After the weeklong trial, we were on tenterhooks waiting for the jury to give its verdict.

verb

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gnaw - To cause continual distress or discomfort, often in a mental or emotional sense.

Doubts about her decision started to gnaw at her, making it hard to focus.

noun

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fuss - A display of unnecessary or excessive excitement, activity, or interest

The baby would make a fuss every time his parents would try to take a picture of him.