jittery

adjective

jit·​tery ˈji-tə-rē How to pronounce jittery (audio)
1
: suffering from the jitters
2
: marked by jittering movements
jitteriness noun

Examples of jittery in a Sentence

I always get jittery when I have to give a speech. The latest economic news has made some investors jittery.
Recent Examples on the Web After last week’s elevated inflation reading raised questions about the ability of the Federal Reserve to lower short-term interest rates before mid-year, markets are likely to remain jittery and focused on any clues regarding the future path of the economy and inflation. Bill Stone, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2024 Farmers across Iowa were jittery about their yields because of a prolonged summer drought. Melina Mara, Washington Post, 9 Dec. 2023 But even the meeting itself could calm jittery nerves back in China, where there have been signs foreign investment is tapering off. Chris Megerian, Fortune, 16 Nov. 2023 Under Rhule and the rest of the coaching staff, Mayfield turned into a jittery QB who lacked confidence, got balls batted down left and right and made two bad throws for every really good one. Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 26 Jan. 2024 With their jittery camerawork and conspicuously digital textures, these latter films alienated some viewers, and tested Mann’s ability to make bank at the box office. John Semley, WIRED, 22 Dec. 2023 For all the apprehension around preemptive military action in more jittery quarters, the wages of inaction are just as high if not higher. Noah Rothman, National Review, 18 Dec. 2023 There have been ups and downs since then, from the Afghanistan withdrawal fiasco to the return to primacy at NATO, a successful mobilization of aid for Ukraine and a jittery coexistence with China. Karen Deyoung, Washington Post, 17 Dec. 2023 One of those for me this year was Clare Perkins in Thomas Hardiman’s Medusa Deluxe, a jittery murder mystery that takes place during a hairdressing competition. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'jittery.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1931, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of jittery was in 1931

Dictionary Entries Near jittery

Cite this Entry

“Jittery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jittery. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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