itching

American

[ich-ing] / ˈɪtʃ ɪŋ /

adjective

of, relating to, or characterized by an irritating sensation of the skin.
of, relating to, or having a longing or desire to do or have something.

An itching public anxiously awaits her announcement.
characterized by restlessness or the desire for adventure or activity.

an itching impulse to travel.
characterized by the desire to grasp; grasping; an itching palm open for a bribe.

noun

itch.

Other Word Forms

itchingly

adverb

Etymology

Origin of itching

before 1000; Middle English ( y ) ichinge, ( y ) itchinge (noun, adj.); replacing Old English giccende (adj.). See itch, -ing ², -ing ¹

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.

Bitcoin could benefit if investors are still itching to trade during the long weekend, especially since sentiment heading into Friday —and a new month—has been positive so far.

From Barron's • May 1, 2026

On this week’s Slate Plus exclusive, Timothée Chalamet enters the pas de deux between an Oscar-nominated actor and a public itching for a villain.

From Slate • Mar. 13, 2026

"He was on the sideline for a while with his coat off, he was itching to get on," Farrell said of McCarthy, whose adventurous burst down the left wing helped set up Osborne's try.

From BBC • Mar. 6, 2026

Fortunately, the network already had a talent who was itching for change.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 12, 2026

She was itching to climb, but when she hoisted herself up onto the next rock, she felt it shift slightly under her weight.

From "Orphan Island" by Laurel Snyder

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023