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:
A bold, open-concept great room is the heart of the 3,504-square-foot home, where an edgy chef’s kitchen featuring a black-and-white, harlequin-tiled backsplash immediately catches the eye.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026
"It's going to be really edgy," says Madrid's own F3 driver Bruno del Pino.
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026
Ownership of a copy became shorthand for edgy, intellectual sensitivity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
As artificial intelligence and corporate consolidation threaten film and TV budgets and opportunities for emerging artists, Burwell’s work on “Obsession” is a potent argument for reinvesting in young, edgy talent.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
We were both nervous, edgy, unsure what to say or do.
From "The Old Willis Place" by Mary Downing Hahn
Some have rejected the film as flimsy satire; others have wanted its message to be edgier and more obvious.
From Salon ● Apr. 9, 2026
Allbirds tried to expand beyond its base of 30- and 40-year-olds by offering more technical running shoes and other sneakers in brighter colors and edgier patterns designed to attract younger customers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 31, 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
So whether you want family-friendly fare, holiday vibes, relaxing release or edgier escapism – there’s plenty to check out.
From Salon ● Dec. 24, 2025
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
The Aluminaire House, one of the earliest and edgiest examples of the International Style of modernist architecture in America, was never meant to withstand a harsh desert climate.
From New York Times ● Jan. 25, 2024
Ready your comfiest shoes, flounciest outfits and edgiest eyewear — it’s art fair season.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 2, 2023
Roasts, of course, are known for comedians often gleefully showcasing their edgiest, most offensive and vile material.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 13, 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
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
