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fidgeter

fidgeter

1 6.0
A person who cannot sit still because they feel nervous or bored
  • noun
  • /ˈfɪdʒɪtər/
translation icon : inquieto
  • The classroom was filled with fidgeters who constantly tapped their pencils on the desks.

Examples

  • I was grateful when a study came out a few years back saying that fidgeters tend to weigh less than non-fidgety counterparts.

    Blog text (14)
  • She was a fidgeter.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • As a fidgeter, he often found it hard to concentrate during long meetings.

  • She is a fidgeter who can't sit still while waiting for her turn.

Synonyms

fiddler
vsfidgeter
4 6.9

A person who plays with small things when nervous or bored

refers to general restless movement, not only object handling
wiggler
vsfidgeter
  • Informal
1 7.0

A person, often a child, who cannot sit still and keeps moving

is used for restless people of any age, not just children
squirmer
vsfidgeter
1 7.5

A person who cannot sit still and keeps wriggling

is broader, applying to any restless person, not only children
fidget-bottom
vsfidgeter
  • Informal
9.9

A person who cannot sit still and often moves or plays with things

is the neutral term for restless movement from nervousness or boredom
wriggler
vsfidgeter
  • UK
7.4

A person, often a child, who cannot sit still and moves a lot

is a general term for restless movement, not child specific
twiddler
vsfidgeter
8.5

A person who moves their fingers or small objects without thinking

focuses on whole body restlessness rather than only object manipulation

Antonyms

A person who does not get nervous in difficult situations

How Fidgety

fidget-bottom
  • Informal
9.9
fidgeter
1 6.0

Surface Forms

fidgeter singular
fidgeters plural

Morphology

fidgeter = fidget (transparent) = fidget + er

Clear agentive formation from the verb 'fidget' using the productive suffix '-er', yielding 'person who fidgets'.

Etymology

Fidgeter comes from the verb fidget plus the ending -er, where -er means 'one who'. A helpful way to remember fidget is to imagine a small, nervous 'move' or little 'fit' you cannot stop, so a fidgeter is someone who moves restlessly or cannot stay still.