Synonyms

itching

American

[ich-ing] / ˈɪtʃ ɪŋ /

adjective

of, relating to, or characterized by an irritating sensation of the skin.
of, relating to, or having a longing or desire to do or have something.

An itching public anxiously awaits her announcement.
characterized by restlessness or the desire for adventure or activity.

an itching impulse to travel.
characterized by the desire to grasp; grasping; an itching palm open for a bribe.

noun

itch.

Other Word Forms

itchingly

adverb

Etymology

Origin of itching

before 1000; Middle English ( y ) ichinge, ( y ) itchinge (noun, adj.); replacing Old English giccende (adj.). See itch, -ing ², -ing ¹

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.

Born into a well-off family in central Taiwan on July 2, 1934, Liu worked briefly in his father's trading and food manufacturing company but was soon itching to branch out on his own.

From Barron's • Feb. 16, 2026

An “intuitive wellness practitioner” who said she was trained in nutrition, botanical medicine and homeopathy, promised to get to the root cause of my itching.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026

Still, Alary said, even when he was institutionalized and forced to be without his phone, he was itching to get back to Aimee as soon as he was let out.

From Slate • Feb. 2, 2026

Jane, 43, who previously had scabies, said the itching "drove her insane" and that the process of getting rid of it was a "nightmare".

From BBC • Jan. 27, 2026

Nor was there a get well soon card the time when Penelope had chicken pox and had to spend three days taking warm milk baths to stop the dreadful itching.

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023