antsy

American  

[ant-see] / ˈænt si /

adjective

Informal.

antsier, antsiest

1. unable to sit or stand still; fidgety.

   The children were bored and antsy.

2. apprehensive, uneasy, or nervous.

   I'm a little antsy since hearing those storm warnings.

---

antsy British  

/ ˈæntsɪ /

adjective

1. informal restless, nervous, and impatient

---

Other Word Forms

• antsiness noun

Etymology

Origin of antsy

1950–55; ant + -s ³ + -y ¹; cf. -sy

Explanation

If you're antsy, you're restless and fidgety. It's hard not to be antsy when you're waiting to learn whether or not you've been accepted to your first choice of colleges. An antsy kid, unable to sit still, might need to use the bathroom, and a worried parent is often antsy while she waits for her teenager to come home late at night. Antsy came first, in the 1830s, but the idea is similar to the 20th century expression "have ants in your pants." Imagine how you'd squirm if you actually did feel ants crawling around in your pants: figuratively, that's how it feels to be antsy.

Example Sentences

The terrific Mr. Baker portrays Leigh with antsy anxiousness thinly masked by a veneer of professional camaraderie—he knows that Jay’s participation is crucial to the success, or maybe existence, of the production.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

Investors are getting antsy about a credit bubble and contagion effects cross the $20 trillion industry.

From Barron's • Feb. 20, 2026

House members in swing districts and senators in purple states are probably starting to feel a little bit antsy.

From Salon • Apr. 28, 2025

Still, Treasury holders are clearly not assuaged, and they’ve been antsy for years at this point.

From Slate • Apr. 11, 2025

I reveled in the news—and at the same time, I felt antsy to be directly involved with the show.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu