jittery
Americanadjective
-
jitterier,
comparative
-
jitteriest
superlative
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of jittery
Explanation
Jittery can describe jerky or nervous actions. If you consume a lot of caffeine, you might appear jittery. If a running back is darting around quickly and unpredictably, making herky-jerky movements, he's jittery. Also, jittery applies to people who feel nervous or tense. If you're worried about a test, you'll feel jittery. During the last minute of a basketball game, some players get jittery. Synonyms for this nervous kind of jittery are edgy, high-strung, jumpy, nervy, and uptight.
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.
There are still a slew of Fed speakers on tap for the week ahead that could influence a jittery bond market, as well as minutes of September’s central-bank meeting, due on Wednesday.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 4, 2026
The French government defended on Thursday its plans to cut spending and raise taxes as it tries to thread the needle between jittery debt markets and public discontent over the rising cost of living.
From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026
Emma Jones, 57, said within a week of taking the drug she noticed her energy levels increase but also felt "jittery and on edge".
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
I wasn’t exactly jittery, but I was able to open my eyes extra-wide.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
And if everything isn’t fine...I take a deep breath and try to keep my leg from going all jittery.
From "The Benefits of Being an Octopus" by Ann Braden
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.
