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 of jitter

Noun

• nerves
• shivers
• butterflies

Examples of jitter in a Sentence

Noun

always got the jitters right before a test

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The most common indulgence by far was alcohol, but many flyers also turn to marijuana edibles and non-prescribed medication to deal with flight jitters. —Tristan Bove, Fortune, 6 May 2026

Gainful also offers a caffeinated version with about 150 mg of natural caffeine from green coffee bean extract, plus L-theanine to smooth out jitters. —Charlotte Observer, 6 May 2026

Verb

But when viewed as the 78-year-old artist intends—through a phone camera—the forms appear to jitter like static. —Shanti Escalante-De Mattei, ARTnews.com, 27 Apr. 2026

Unemployment jitters The jobless rate in the U.K. at the end of October — the latest month for which figures are available — stood at 5.1%, its highest since March 2021, when the economy was emerging from the last of the three Covid lockdowns. —Ian King, CNBC, 7 Jan. 2026

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

Rhymes for jitter

• bitter
• critter
• fitter
• fritter
• glitter
• hitter
• knitter
• litter
• quitter
• ritter
• splitter
• titter