fidget

1 of 2

noun

fidg·​et ˈfi-jət 

plural fidgets

1

: uneasiness or restlessness as shown by nervous movements

—usually used in the phrase the fidgets

got the fidgets in church

a case of the fidgets

2

[fidget entry 2] : someone who fidgets

"I was a very energetic child and my mother looked for outlets for that energy. I was a fidget," she [Monica Mason] says.

—Nick Clark

3

: something (such as a toy) that is designed to be held and manipulated (as to decrease stress and anxiety)

For a child with tactile difficulties, … give the child a fidget, or toy, during seated activities.

—Vrinda Murphy

You've probably seen the kid spinning a thing that looks like a miniature alien spaceship on his thumb and wondered what that was all about. Or maybe you've noticed a co-worker secretly fiddling with a cube with buttons on it under the conference table. These odd-shaped, oddly addictive objects—designed to let you channel extra energy into your fingers as you go about your day—are fidgets.

—Ariana Eunjung Cha

Senior care facilities have found that residents with dementia enjoy using fidget spinners to occupy their hands, calm their minds, and redirect attention.

—Houston Defender

Besides being fun to hold and squeeze, slime is also a useful fidget toy that can alleviate anxiety and help kids stay on task, Palmer said.

—Cameron Morsberger

fidget

2 of 2

verb

fidgeted; fidgeting; fidgets

intransitive verb

: to move or act restlessly or nervously

transitive verb

: to cause to move or act nervously

Synonyms

Noun

• anxiety
• nerves
• worry
• unease
• tension
• fidgetiness
• jumpiness
• jitteriness

Verb

• twitch
• squirm
• toss
• jerk
• fiddle
• wiggle

Examples of fidget in a Sentence

Noun

one dental patient in the waiting room had a bad case of the fidgets

Verb

He was constantly fidgeting in his chair.

small children are likely to fidget in church

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

McKay goes on to explain that Nano-mals can be used as a fidget toy in several different ways. —Taylor Grothe, Parents, 1 Mar. 2025

But stimming takes on many other forms that are common in the workplace, such as humming, pen-clicking or using stress balls and fidget toys. —Pamela Furr, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025

Verb

For weeks, Combs, 55, has maintained an attentive and easygoing presence inside a Manhattan federal courtroom — occasionally shaking his head, fidgeting in his seat or passing notes to his attorneys. —Danielle Bacher, People.com, 18 June 2025

Part of identifying suspicious travelers relies on noticing behaviors such as fidgeting or having a penetrating stare, which government watchdogs and some lawmakers have criticized in the past as an unreliable basis for probable cause. —Josh Meyer, USA Today, 6 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

irregular from fidge

First Known Use

Noun

1674, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1754, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Phrases Containing fidget

• fidget spinners
• fidget toy
• fidget with

Rhymes for fidget

• digit
• midget
• widget

Kids Definition

fidget

1 of 2 noun

fidg·​et ˈfij-ət 

1

plural : restlessness as shown by nervous movements

2

: one that fidgets

fidgety

-ət-ē

adjective

fidget

2 of 2 verb

: to move or act nervously or restlessly