twitchy

adjective

ˈtwi-chē 

twitchier; twitchiest

1

: marked by twitches or jerking movements : tending to twitch

Oliver did not think he would be able to sleep, but he did sleep—a restless, twitchy sleep filled with hideous dreams.

—Eva Ibbotson

Round-shouldered yet angular, he walked in a twitchy manner that recalled a spider, his oily hair swinging about his face.

—J. K. Rowling

2

: nervously on edge or fretful

This revelation was an incredible relief to those of us who get a little twitchy at the thought of making pasta …

—Jane Daniels Lear

There was action every minute, and so much momentum carrying the story forward that until I finished it, I was in a sort of twitchy agony if I got stuck doing anything else.

—Eric Konigsberg

Synonyms

• fidgety
• squirmy
• wiggly
• upset
• shaking
• worried
• nervous
• anxious
• antsy

Examples of twitchy in a Sentence

examining the twitchy little poodle was a challenge for the vet

Recent Examples on the Web

The Viper 2 Pro weighs just 58 grams, giving you those fast, twitchy responses for shooters. —Simon Hill, Wired News, 11 July 2025

But, according to Hines, his road to recovery was more about rediscovering the twitchy cutting ability that became his trademark in the NFL. —Charlotte Observer, 11 July 2025

Complacency is always a dangerous thing but especially so heading into the dog days of summer, when liquidity is thin and markets get twitchy. —Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 8 July 2025

Fast enough to run with tight ends in the slot and twitchy enough to beat offensive linemen at the point of attack, Campbell is a great blitzer and boasts big-time potential as a junior. —Nick Baumgardner, New York Times, 18 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1787, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for twitchy

• bitchy
• itchy
• pitchy