gathered the nerve

USAGE SUMMARY

"gathered the nerve" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to describe the process of someone mustering up the courage to do or say something difficult or intimidating. For example, "It took me a few minutes, but I eventually gathered the nerve to ask my boss for a raise."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

But as it happened, "she was excited about the idea and suggested it to Michael Mayer before he gathered the nerve to suggest it to her".

The New York Times

Everyone looked around stunned, until someone finally gathered the nerve to ask, "What do you mean?" "Your pulpit is not accessible to persons in wheelchairs," Hancock poignantly replied.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Someone should gather the nerve to book them for a week.

The New York Times - Arts

Yet since Justin Fashanu made the decision that brought so much anger and invective, and estranged his own brother, not one professional footballer in this country has felt able to gather the nerve to come out into the open, a possibility that seemed to be heightened by the resolve of the Welsh rugby union captain Gareth Thomas to reveal that he was gay.

Independent

"Finally, I gathered up the nerve to ask her out to lunch," Mr. Lichtenberg said.

The New York Times

CV gathered the material.

BMC Cancer

TYW gathered the data.

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

AM gathered the data.

BMC Gastroenterology

A readiness to restore, to make amends, to gather up the nerve-endings of history to help a community resume normal life, these are surely the best future for a devastated past.

The Guardian - Opinion

This spring, the Clinton Administration briefly gathered its nerve to try to stop the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina by making threats and issuing ultimatums.

The New Yorker

I looked out the windows, rustled through the pages of a newspaper or two, and then went over to the ice man, gathered my nerve, and spoke.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "gathered the nerve" when you want to emphasize the effort and internal struggle required to overcome fear or hesitation before taking action.

Common error

Avoid using "gathered the nerve" in situations where the subject did not actively choose to be brave. For example, instead of "The child gathered the nerve due to peer pressure", try "The child was pressured into gathering the nerve."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "gathered the nerve" functions as a verbal phrase often followed by an infinitive, indicating the action that someone finally felt brave enough to perform. Ludwig AI confirms that is usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Wiki

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "gathered the nerve" is a phrase used to describe the act of summoning courage to face a daunting situation. According to Ludwig AI, this phrase is considered grammatically correct and appropriate for use in written English. Although relatively rare in occurrence, its meaning is well-understood, and it appears in a variety of sources, mostly news and media outlets. Remember to use it when you want to express the internal effort required to overcome fear or hesitation. Similar phrases include "summoned the courage", "mustered the courage", and "plucked up the courage".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

summoned the courage

Emphasizes a deliberate act of calling upon one's courage.

mustered the courage

Suggests assembling or preparing oneself mentally to face a challenge.

found the courage

Highlights the act of discovering or realizing one's bravery.

plucked up the courage

Implies a sudden or quick gathering of courage.

worked up the courage

Describes a gradual process of building courage.

got up the nerve

A more informal variant of the original phrase.

steeled oneself

Focuses on mentally preparing for a difficult task.

braced oneself

Implies preparing for a shock or unpleasant experience.

took a deep breath and...

Describes the physical act of calming oneself before acting courageously.

screwed up their courage

More colloquial expression of gathering courage

FAQs

How can I use "gathered the nerve" in a sentence?

You can use "gathered the nerve" to describe someone summoning the courage to do something daunting. For example, "She "gathered the nerve" to quit her job".

What's a more formal way to say "gathered the nerve"?

A more formal alternative to "gathered the nerve" would be "summoned the courage", which emphasizes a deliberate act of calling upon one's bravery.

Is "gathered the nerve" the same as "found the courage"?

While similar, "gathered the nerve" implies an active effort to muster courage, whereas "found the courage" suggests discovering or realizing one's bravery that was already within.

What phrases are similar to "gathered the nerve"?

Similar phrases include "mustered the courage", "plucked up the courage", and "worked up the courage", each carrying slight nuances in meaning.