jig 1 of 2

noun

ˈjig How to pronounce jig (audio)
Definition of jignext
as in ruse
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end okay, buster, the jig is up

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

jig

2 of 2

verb

as in to fidget
to make jerky or restless movements the mother could tell that her little boy had to use the bathroom because he was jigging

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 jig
Noun
Participants can check out power drills, jig saws, wrenches and pickaxes. — Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 3 Aug. 2026 By publishing interface dimensions for custom jigs and providing a software SDK, Morpho allows users and partners to design their own fixtures, create custom workflows, and extend the machine for new applications. — Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 20 July 2026
Verb
Notably, as Eric and Carol were chatting to Sara, BBC Studios was re-jigging its APAC division in order to bring Australia and Asia under one roof. — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 14 Nov. 2025 The fang gang present themselves as yearning European folk enthusiasts and later as jigging fiends and sometime metalheads. — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 22 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for jig
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jig
  1. ruse
  2. fidget
  3. scheme
  4. twitch
  5. trick
  6. jerk
  7. device
  8. toss
Noun
  • What about when Carole was hiding in the closet to try to overhear Luann calling her a pedophile, and Jules Wainstein kept trying to ruin her ruse?
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Last-ditch plan for prosecution Authorities next developed what Smallwood described as a last-ditch plan to prosecute Tanzer — a ruse that could catch him lying about the rape.
    — Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of ruse
Verb
  • Following this concern, 55% of parents said their top concern was their child’s ability to complete multistep tasks such as homework while 45% of parents cited fidgeting.
    — Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The current boom is driven by Gen Z’s openness about mental health, social-commerce virality on TikTok and Etsy, and a broader nervous-system regulation movement that treats fidgeting as a legitimate coping tool rather than a bad habit.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of fidget
Noun
  • Democrats, meanwhile, called the dividend proposal a vote-buying scheme.
    — Chad de Guzman, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Disney actor Erik von Detten is being sued for allegedly scamming an elderly couple in a bizarre precious-metals scheme.
    — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of scheme
Verb
  • Just then, Chee Meng’s fishing rod twitched, and the line began to run out.
    — Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
  • During the test, Linton jerked and twitched in what prosecutors described as an attempt to fake a seizure.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of twitch
Noun
  • Today, our constructor has reached into his evidently limitless bag of tricks to pull out a doozy of a Thursday grid.
    — Sean McGowan, New York Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The subtle, but unmistakable, undercurrent of apple sweetness struck me as a bit of a magic trick in a bread that, otherwise, to the eye and hand was just a soft white loaf.
    — Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of trick
Verb
  • During the test, Linton jerked and twitched in what prosecutors described as an attempt to fake a seizure.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Drivers should never swerve or jerk the steering wheel, the state patrol said.
    — Celia Frazier, Denver Post, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of jerk
Noun
  • Printing these flexible devices requires depositing two layers at once.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Those links could expose personal information or compromise devices.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of device
Verb
  • Before long, the barricades lay tossed aside and the tents within went up in smoke, along with Vucic's power.
    — JOVANA GEC, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Before long, the barricades lay tossed aside and the tents within went up in smoke, along with Vucic’s power.
    — Jovana Gec, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of toss

Browse Nearby Words

jiffy
jig
jigged
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Jig.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jig. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on jig

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about jig

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of grotesque

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All