jitter

1 of 2

noun

jit·​ter ˈji-tər 

1

jitters ˈji-tərz  plural : a sense of panic or extreme nervousness

had a bad case of the jitters before his performance

2

: the state of mind or the movement of one that jitters

3

: irregular random movement (as of a pointer or an image on a television screen)

also : vibratory motion

jitter

2 of 2

verb

jittered; jittering; jitters

intransitive verb

1

: to make continuous fast repetitive movements

2

: to be nervous or act in a nervous way

Synonyms

Noun

• butterflies
• dither
• heebie-jeebies
• jimjams
• nerves
• screaming meemies
• shakes
• shivers
• whim-whams
• willies

Examples of jitter in a Sentence

Noun

always got the jitters right before a test

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Reality check: Both sectors have seen investment taper this year as funders soured on startups' soaring valuations, plus high interest rates, election-year jitters, and uncertainty about profitable exits. —Alan Neuhauser, Axios, 18 Oct. 2024

For the 45th consecutive month, the job market outperformed expectations, continued the most robust expansion in history, and even defied possible disruptions usually associated with election year jitters and shenanigans. —Eli Amdur, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024

Verb

This means polling averages can change by a few decimal places day to day — and probabilities may jitter by around a point, which cascades down into uncertainty in our model. —G. Elliott Morris, ABC News, 11 June 2024

The screen jitters each time righteous bloodshed crosses Deva’s mind. —Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 22 Dec. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

1929, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1931, in the meaning defined at sense 2