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fidget

American  
[fij-it] / ˈfɪdʒ ɪt /

verb (used without object)

  • fidgets,
    present (3rd person singular)
  • fidgeted,
    past participle,  past
  • fidgeting
    present participle
  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.


verb (used with object)

  • fidgets,
    present (3rd person singular)
  • fidgeted,
    past participle,  past
  • fidgeting
    present participle
  1. to cause to fidget; make uneasy: He was fidgeted by a hunch that the girl was going to cause trouble.

noun

  • fidgets
    plural
  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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

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.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing fidget

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:

So Banos, who works in communications, has started to “carry a magnetic ball fidget toy so I don’t,” she said.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 7, 2026

Kids call them fidget toys or stress balls.

From Barron's Jun. 5, 2026

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

She carries a fidget spinner and a tablet.

From Los Angeles Times Jan. 12, 2026

Felix enjoyed watching Benji fidget and look uncomfortable.

From "Millionaires for the Month" by Stacey McAnulty

He fidgets with a pair of eyeglasses and points a knobby index finger to underscore a point, jiggles his leg restlessly and, at one point, mimes playing guitar.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 6, 2026

The story is simple: The dad flusters, fidgets and whines; the girl gobbles room service as though aspiring to become human foie gras.

From Los Angeles Times May 19, 2026

Even at shows without sensory modifications, sensory bags containing comfort items, fidgets and headphones are always available.

From Seattle Times Nov. 1, 2023

He fidgets endlessly with his hands as if trying to rub out the scars.

From BBC Jul. 25, 2023

He blushes and fidgets with the hem of his sleeve.

From "Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda" by Becky Albertalli

He sat, he stood, he fidgeted, he paced in the emptying hallway.

From Los Angeles Times Mar. 20, 2024

Mr. Trump fidgeted throughout his time in court last week.

From New York Times Jan. 28, 2024

When asked what his manner was like, she replied: "Matter of fact. He appeared a bit nervous. He kind of fidgeted."

From BBC Jan. 25, 2024

Students fidgeted in chairs, not knowing what to say.

From Seattle Times Sep. 19, 2023

The other kids in the class fidgeted, and even Mr. Roberts stopped every so often to dab at his forehead with an off-white handkerchief before continuing to lecture the disinterested, overheated students about biodiversity.

From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro

In the studio and in meetings, Shulman has the restless energy of a kid—pacing around a room or fidgeting with a piano keyboard or bass guitar—combined with the intellectual affect of a quant.

From The Wall Street Journal Mar. 28, 2026

They can take four minutes on the answer, and people are now fidgeting in the crowd.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 7, 2025

"Some people might get really annoyed by fidgeting or repetitive movements but it doesn't impact massively on day-to-day life," she says.

From BBC Dec. 12, 2024

One common way people try to manage the condition is by avoiding looking at fidgeting or by distracting themselves, Dr Gregory says.

From BBC Dec. 12, 2024

“Your headscarf looks nice, Laleh,” I said, taking her hand to stop her fidgeting.

From "Darius the Great Is Not Okay" by Adib Khorram

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