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

—often used before another noun

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

Senior care facilities have found that residents with dementia enjoy using fidget spinners [=fidgets with an outer part that spins] to occupy their hands, calm their minds, and redirect attention.

—Houston Defender

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 of fidget

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

This requires you to fill a bag with a different activity or item customized to each kid — such as a new book, fidget toy, fun pen, movie or any random toy — and revealing one bag per hour to keep the trip exciting. —Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 24 Mar. 2026

Elevated desk accessories like this stone puzzle are far more elegant than a fidget spinner or foam stress ball. —Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 23 Mar. 2026

Verb

The design was inspired by the hair-tearing boredom of COVID lockdown-era remote work, a time in which Knafs founder Ben Petersen maintained sanity during Zoom calls by fidgeting around with pocket knives and doodling pictures. —New Atlas, 26 Mar. 2026

One woman ordered some home furniture while two children fidgeted nearby. —David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

irregular from fidge

First Known Use

Noun

1674, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1809, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Phrases Containing fidget

• 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