fidget

American  

[fij-it] / ˈfɪdʒ ɪt /

verb (used without object)

1. to move about restlessly, nervously, or impatiently.

2. to play with something in a restless or nervous way; fiddle.

   The boy kept fidgeting with the toy instead of paying attention.

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verb (used with object)

1. to cause to fidget; make uneasy: He was fidgeted by a hunch that the girl was going to cause trouble.

noun

1. Often fidgets. the condition or an instance of being nervously restless, uneasy, or impatient.

2. Also fidgeter. a person who fidgets.

fidget British  

/ ˈfɪdʒɪt /

verb

1. (intr) to move about restlessly

2. to make restless or uneasy movements (with something); fiddle

   he fidgeted with his pen

3. (tr) to cause to fidget

4. (tr) to cause to worry; make uneasy

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noun

1. (often plural) a state of restlessness or unease, esp as expressed in continual motion

   he's got the fidgets

2. a person who fidgets

Other Word Forms

• fidgetingly adverb
• fidgety adjective
• unfidgeting adjective

Etymology

Origin of fidget

First recorded in 1665–75; compare dialectal fidge “to fidget,” akin to the synonymous expressive words fitch, fig, fike; compare Old Norse fīkjast “to be eager,” Old Swedish fīkja “to be restless”

Explanation

To fidget is to make little movements with your hands and feet. Even if you're nervous during your job interview, try not to fidget. The word fidget is related to the Old Norse fikja, meaning "move briskly, be restless or eager." If you are feeling impatient or anxious you might fidget in your seat or fidget with a pen in your hands. A person who fidgets a lot can be referred to as a fidget and so can that quick anxious movement itself.

Example Sentences

That approach, she said, helped Five Below take advantage of the current craze for “squishy dumplings” — the latest popular fidget toy that the retailer has managed to cash in on.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 18, 2026

Hernandez came up with a rule: If a child isn’t into the movie, he or she can draw, play with slime or use a fidget toy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 7, 2026

She carries a fidget spinner and a tablet.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 12, 2026

Each doll comes with a pink fidget spinner to reduce stress and improve focus, and noise-cancelling headphones to block out background sounds and therefore limit sensory overload.

From BBC • Jan. 12, 2026

“Well, we’re all quite used to it out there, you see,” I said, trying not to fidget, flushed with the brilliance of my success.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

Related Words

• fret
• jiggle
• squirm
• twiddle
• twitch