jittery
Americanadjective
-
jitterier,
comparative
-
jitteriest
superlative
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of jittery
Explanation
Jittery can describe jerky or nervous actions. If you consume a lot of caffeine, you might appear jittery. If a running back is darting around quickly and unpredictably, making herky-jerky movements, he's jittery. Also, jittery applies to people who feel nervous or tense. If you're worried about a test, you'll feel jittery. During the last minute of a basketball game, some players get jittery. Synonyms for this nervous kind of jittery are edgy, high-strung, jumpy, nervy, and uptight.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The most egregious case is Sturgis’ Ru, who transforms over the course of the play from a jittery wreck into a vengeful, plaintive monster.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
A jittery, summer stock market probably didn’t need renewed Middle East tensions, but here we are.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 8, 2026
On the eve of the election, Sanchez sought to reassure undecided voters and jittery markets, distancing himself from past calls for radical change.
From Barron's ● Jun. 5, 2026
Investors have been especially jittery about software companies after Anthropic released simple plug-ins that had capabilities they feared could disrupt various industries.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026
“From this,” William added, “you will gather that they are pretty jittery and want to keep quiet even the fact that there is such a thing as cryptography going on.”
From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
