edgy
Americanadjective
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nervously irritable; impatient and anxious.
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sharp-edged; sharply defined, as outlines.
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daringly innovative; on the cutting edge.
adjective
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(usually postpositive) nervous, irritable, tense, or anxious
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(of paintings, drawings, etc) excessively defined
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innovative, or at the cutting edge, with the concomitant qualities of intensity and excitement
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of edgy
Explanation
If you're edgy, you're uptight, tense, or anxious. You might find yourself getting nervous and edgy right before you take a difficult test. A tendency to get edgy — irritable and jittery — might be a result of too much coffee, or just a personality trait. It's not a very helpful habit in most cases, leading you to snap at other people or just feel tense. An informal way to use edgy is to mean "experimental or daring." In the 18th century, something edgy literally had sharp edges, but by the early 1800s it came to mean "tense and irritable."
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.
See Examples For:
He was an active participant in defending Andrew Tate, using his influence to validate an accused predator because it fit the edgy, anti-establishment aesthetic of the modern manosphere media.
From Salon ● Jul. 25, 2026
A couple of laps in the eager and edgy 420 Sport made me realize how long it had been since I actually had fun—that’s the word!—in a sports car.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026
Trading floors remain edgy after a recent run of volatility fuelled by concerns that the artificial intelligence boom that has underpinned a global rally may have run out of steam.
From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026
Even though she appears really edgy, she’s trying so hard to be good.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026
His gaze drills into mine, concern mixed with empathy, and a weird, edgy feeling comes over me, like he knows something I don’t.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
Tyler, after a brief recovery period, returned to the recording studio with a huskier, edgier voice.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026
She was known for her raspy vocals, offering listeners an edgier sound that also melded rock and pop.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026
He returned to recording in January 1962 with “The Bridge,” which featured a new, edgier and more abstract sound.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 26, 2026
Some have rejected the film as flimsy satire; others have wanted its message to be edgier and more obvious.
From Salon ● Apr. 9, 2026
In another reality, Leo might’ve enjoyed a walk on the beach with a pretty girl, but the farther they went, the edgier he felt.
From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan
Every Disney movie raises us to recognize that villains always get the best lines, the edgiest wardrobes and, sometimes, the most darling pets.
From Salon ● Jan. 28, 2026
One of the edgiest is a former tobacco factory in the gritty Athens neighborhood of Kolonos whose pink and yellow facade has drawn comparisons to a giant Battenberg cake.
From New York Times ● Jun. 30, 2022
And there’s one of the edgiest tracks yet from the band — “Cutthroat,” an anthem about killing the critic inside of you.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 30, 2021
It remains one of SNL’s edgiest efforts to date.
From Washington Post ● May 20, 2021
As most of the elder statesmen and women of comedy take the stage at the gloriously retro Theatre at Ace Hotel, it likely won’t be the weirdest or edgiest night.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 6, 2020
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.
