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fidgety

fidgety

8 4.8
Unable to stay still because you feel nervous
  • adjective
  • /ˈfɪdʒɪti/
translation icon : inquieto
  • The fidgety child kept tapping his fingers on the table and shifting in his seat.

She was very fidgety, couldn't sit still, couldn't focus, would fight with her sisters a lot.

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Examples

  • Gisselle, who had demanded the meeting take place immediately, grew more fidgety.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • She was very fidgety, couldn't sit still, couldn't focus, would fight with her sisters a lot.

  • What are you so fidgety about?

  • William London is a fidgety boy.

  • However, the younger participants became less fidgety with time.

    Academic text (2003)
  • A moment before, waiting for them in the lobby of their hotel, I had been fidgety.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • He's always been the fidgety type.

  • Immediately after birth, the babies of cocaine users may be fidgety and irritable.

    Academic text (1991)
  • Some days I tolerate it somewhat well, but today I am super anxious, fidgety, and nervous.

    Blog text (34)
  • Barry was fidgety, and Laura had to shush him.

    Fiction book (1993)

Synonyms

nervous
vsfidgety
1.3

Feeling worried and easily frightened

is the restless inability to stay still rather than general anxious feeling
restless
vsfidgety
110 3.0

Not able to relax and stay still because of worry or boredom

is the specific nervous inability to stay still rather than general activity
jittery
vsfidgety
26 4.5

Feeling nervous and unable to stay still

is same nervous restlessness but without the strong trembling feel
antsy
vsfidgety
  • Informal
25 7.0

Being nervous and unable to keep still

is the neutral general feeling rather than a casual informal expression
twitchy
vsfidgety
  • Informal
9 4.6

Feeling nervous and unable to stay still

is a general restless state rather than sudden startle reactions
jumpy
vsfidgety
4 3.9

Moving in sudden small jumps instead of smoothly

is restlessness that is less about sudden jumps and more steady unease
fretful
vsfidgety
4 6.6

Feeling worried and unable to relax

is more about worry and mood than physical moving about
squirrely
vsfidgety
  • Informal
3 8.4

Acting nervous and strange in a way you cannot predict

is less specifically restless and more odd or unpredictable in conduct
fluttery
vsfidgety
2 4.9

Feeling nervous and excited with a quick, shaky feeling in the body

is the ordinary nervous restlessness without the light excited tone
squirmy
vsfidgety
1 3.5

Moving in a restless, wiggly way

focuses on physical wriggling rather than overall nervous inability to relax

Very nervous and unable to stay still because of worry or excitement

is the common phrase for inability to relax rather than vivid idiom

Antonyms

735 1.0

Not showing strong feelings and being very still

How Fidgety

frantic
93 3.9
agitated
49 4.1
fidgety
8 4.8
restless
110 3.0
uneasy
98 3.2
calm
735 1.0

Surface Forms

fidgety positive

Morphology

fidgety = fidget (transparent) = fidget + y

The adjective is formed by adding the productive suffix '-y' to 'fidget', giving the clear meaning 'inclined to fidget; restless'.

Etymology

The word fidgety comes from the older English word fidget, which meant 'to make small, quick movements', like tapping fingers or playing with a pen. So, if you are fidgety, you cannot stay still and feel restless.