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:
This new space contrasts a bright, vivid backdrop with dark furnishings, alluding to the brand’s edgy, crisp designs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
However, traders remain edgy and tech firms once again saw big moves Monday, with Seoul swinging from a near two percent gain to a more than two percent loss.
From Barron's ● Jul. 6, 2026
Would you say he’s overly dismissive of criticism that the show isn’t funny, or what have you, not edgy enough, simply because he has heard it all before?
From Salon ● Jul. 5, 2026
MEUNIER: When you have a strong DNA as a company, like Nissan had and has, it is really about durability, affordability, but also exciting products—fun to drive, fun design, and different, edgy products.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
There’s also nervousness swirling about him, edgy as you please, much as he’s trying to cover it.
From "The Knife of Never Letting Go" by Patrick Ness
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
She worked alongside Christophe Loiron of Mister Freedom and other “rockabilly and edgier, slightly goth” kinds of people.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2025
Jason had been having the same feeling, but hearing Nico say it made him even edgier.
From "The House of Hades" 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
The result is a strong culinary heritage that even the edgiest chefs hold sacred — and, of course, draws food worshipers from around the world.
From New York Times ● Jul. 19, 2022
“Ted Lasso,” for example, “isn’t the edgiest show. It’s a feel-good show and something that, apart from a couple parts here and there, could easily be a broadcast show.”
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 14, 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.
