jumpy

[ juhm-pee ]
See synonyms for jumpy on Thesaurus.com
adjective,jump·i·er, jump·i·est.
  1. subject to sudden, involuntary starts, especially from nervousness, fear, excitement, etc.

  2. characterized by sudden starts, jerks, or jumps: a jumpy narrative.

Origin of jumpy

1
First recorded in 1865–70; jump + -y1

Other words for jumpy

Other words from jumpy

  • jump·i·ly, adverb
  • jump·i·ness, noun

Words Nearby jumpy

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use jumpy in a sentence

  • She had seemed pale and jumpy and morose, and had scarcely spoken a word during the whole of our walk.

  • Both Mrs. Crane and Julie tried to soothe him, but he was jumpy and his mouth twitched spasmodically.

    The Come Back | Carolyn Wells
  • Just at first they are very jumpy, and then there comes a time when they learn to enjoy life while they have it.

  • Then frequently she heels over to a very jumpy angle, as if a squall had struck her.

    The Matabele Campaign | R. S. S. Baden-Powell
  • I married Mrs. B. then, an' she gets a bit jumpy now and again.

    Mrs. Bindle | Hebert Jenkins

British Dictionary definitions for jumpy

jumpy

/ (ˈdʒʌmpɪ) /


adjectivejumpier or jumpiest
  1. nervous or apprehensive

  2. moving jerkily or fitfully

Derived forms of jumpy

  • jumpily, adverb
  • jumpiness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012