edgy
Americanadjective
-
nervously irritable; impatient and anxious.
-
sharp-edged; sharply defined, as outlines.
-
daringly innovative; on the cutting edge.
adjective
-
(usually postpositive) nervous, irritable, tense, or anxious
-
(of paintings, drawings, etc) excessively defined
-
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
But Adrian is never far from his thoughts or absent from the screen: this smiling, happy boy slowly transforming into an edgy, troubled young man whose sweetness still occasionally shines through.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 16, 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
After an edgy chase over Ireland in their second match, this was more reminiscent of England's performance on the opening night of the tournament when they piled up 219-1 against Sri Lanka.
From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2026
He was edgy about the meeting and his clothes made him uncomfortable.
From "Small Steps" by Louis Sachar
“As product proliferation occurs in the edgier parts of the market,” says Dave Mazza, chief executive of ETF manager Roundhill Investments, “it’s incumbent on investors to do more homework.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 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
Fan favorites Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo return in this slightly edgier ‘NCIS’ offshoot set in foreign locations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 24, 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
I just, that kind of stuff and stand-up, you know, some comics look for the edgiest stuff, or the stuff that like is gonna be clickbait.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 18, 2025
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
He’ll use it all to unleash the edgiest, best Westbrook.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 21, 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.
