nails on a chalkboard

noun

Something that sounds very unpleasant.

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Meanings

nounnails on a chalkboard (uncountable)
  1. uncountableSomething that sounds very unpleasant.

    [The phrase] Where's it at? is nails on a chalkboard to me, but I am sure I have many annoying speech mannerisms, too.

    2005 December 6, Nancy Young, “Way OT: Phrases you hate”, in rec.food.cooking (Usenet)
    2 more examples

    That's funny because I hated Randy's voice until I saw that movie. It was nails on a chalkboard until I heard "My Greatest Fear" that song is very pretty, IMO.

    2000 May 2, Christopher John, “country singers who turned to acting”, in rec.music.country.western (Usenet)

    aside from country music (which is nails on a chalkboard to me, lol) and what my son and I call 'pop drivel a la Backstreet Boys, and N'Stink.....I will listen to, and probably enjoy most anything.

    2001 February 17, mrs_cal, “Why do you post here?”, in alt.support.divorce (Usenet)
Cite this entry
APA

nails on a chalkboard. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nails%20on%20a%20chalkboard

MLA

“nails on a chalkboard.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nails%20on%20a%20chalkboard. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “nails on a chalkboard,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nails%20on%20a%20chalkboard.

Source: nails on a chalkboard on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.