fidgety

adjective

ˈfi-jə-tē How to pronounce fidgety (audio)
Definition of fidgetynext
as in twitchy
making jerky or restless movements I get too fidgety to sit after a few minutes in a waiting room

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fidgety Many young children will be fidgety sitting at a desk for a long period of time, so this can help. — ​wendy Wisner, Parents, 25 July 2024 The lyrics were sly and funny but could also detour, like a fidgety schoolkid sitting by the window, into daydreams. — James Poniewozik, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2023 Charles stands as the bridge to generations and generations of inevitability — all the way down to 9-year-old Prince George, the someday-king with a tousle of blond hair and fidgety energy. — Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 20 Sep. 2022 Our planet is a shifting mass of molten rock that continually migrates beneath the crust; even the deep mantle and its overlying upper mantle are fidgety, causing earthquakes. — Manasee Wagh, Popular Mechanics, 16 Aug. 2022 See All Example Sentences for fidgety
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fidgety
  1. twitchy
  2. squirmy
  3. wiggly
  4. worried
  5. upset
  6. nervous
  7. anxious
  8. antsy
Adjective
  • Ludwig is the twitchy, neurotic, charming character that Mitchell was born to play.
    — Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026
  • There’s also a twitchy paranoia at play, since Ethan and Ivy, as outsiders, inevitably spark a turf war as various warring factions try to figure out who is killing their men.
    — Damon Wise, Deadline, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of twitchy
Adjective
  • Another personal fear Chase infused into the script was his dislike of dentists, which leads to several squirmy big-screen moments.
    — William Earl, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The screwworm is actually a parasitic fly named for its larvae, which look like squirmy worms.
    — Alice Park, Time, 2 July 2026
Definition of squirmy
Adjective
  • Black Hills South Dakota Most Midwesterners have to commit at least a week of vacation time to reaching and exploring western South Dakota’s squiggly, wiggly, scenic-drive paradise.
    — Hannah Agran, Midwest Living, 12 Sep. 2026
  • Other vipers are known to flick their tails, especially baby vipers with bright green or neon yellow tail tips that might appear like a wiggly worm to unsuspecting frogs.
    — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of wiggly
Adjective
  • Many were worried that this would lead to productivity losses.
    — Volen Vulkov, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • On Monday morning, a relative of Cantrell who was worried that the baby might be Cantrell’s called police.
    — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of worried
Adjective
  • The guests seemed less upset by the death than by the news that their infusions would be halted.
    — D. T. Max, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Instead, Brazil’s veteran leftist leader pulled off a stunning upset.
    — Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of upset
Adjective
  • Since the incident, the flamingo has been doing all right physically but is more anxious and nervous when being evaluated, said Peachy’s veterinarian, Tiffany Moore, medical director of Lone Mountain Animal Hospital.
    — Jessica Hill, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
  • As the military-style helicopter hovered above them, attendees from the rural, predominantly Latino community, began to get nervous.
    — Philip Wang, Time, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of nervous
Adjective
  • The director general was attempting to lift the gloom after being beset with questions from anxious employees about job losses, service reductions, and general retrenchment.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 24 Oct. 2026
  • An anxious child Apart from her scribbled notes, scant details are available about Runa’s experience in detention, according to her lawyer Yoshihiro Mukai.
    — Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of anxious
Adjective
  • At that same Screentime event, anyone reading between the lines might have guessed that Sarandos was getting antsy with Netflix’s current low-growth status.
    — Matt Donnelly, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
  • However, if Winston misfires his way into, say, a two-game losing streak, the coach could get antsy and try to discover in McCarthy what his brother, Jim, found at Michigan.
    — Doug Haller, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of antsy

Browse Nearby Words

fidgets
fidgety
fie
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fidgety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fidgety. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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