as in anxiety
a state of nervousness marked by sudden jerky movements
the edginess of the basketball players in the moments before the start of the tournament was apparent
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Recent Examples of edginess
At the Grammys, Minerva applied the classic neutral OPI Bare My Soul to Lovato's nails but outlined each one with thin strokes of Black Onyx for just the right amount of edginess, and did the same with rhinestones for a glitzy, glam mani during the holidays.
—
Kara Nesvig, Allure, 19 Feb. 2026
Feeling hesitant about periwinkle’s edginess?
—Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 29 Jan. 2026
High-waist black leather pants and a crop top add edginess, while the trench effortlessly pulls the look together.
—Samantha Brash, InStyle, 28 Jan. 2026
Besides playing with his usual defensive edginess, Larsson chipped in 16 points (7-for-9 shooting), nine assists, six rebounds and a steal and twice managed to infuriate normally mild-manner veteran DeMar DeRozan, who body checked him to the ground on one sequence and clotheslined him on another.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 21 Jan. 2026
To generate relevancy and influence, social-media algorithms demand spectacle, conflict, and edginess.
—Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025
The raw hem adds a touch of edginess that’ll spice up even a pair of white sneakers.
—Rylee Johnston, PEOPLE, 14 Nov. 2025
Carpenter, eye-catching in a glittery fringe dress, couldn’t help but exude a certain edginess onstage at the Opry House, even if the 26-year-old left out some of her favorite swear words.
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2025
What these pants add to the look is a bit of edginess.
—Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 8 Aug. 2025
Kara Nesvig, Allure, 19 Feb. 2026
Feeling hesitant about periwinkle’s edginess?
—Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 29 Jan. 2026
High-waist black leather pants and a crop top add edginess, while the trench effortlessly pulls the look together.
—Samantha Brash, InStyle, 28 Jan. 2026
Besides playing with his usual defensive edginess, Larsson chipped in 16 points (7-for-9 shooting), nine assists, six rebounds and a steal and twice managed to infuriate normally mild-manner veteran DeMar DeRozan, who body checked him to the ground on one sequence and clotheslined him on another.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 21 Jan. 2026
To generate relevancy and influence, social-media algorithms demand spectacle, conflict, and edginess.
—Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025
The raw hem adds a touch of edginess that’ll spice up even a pair of white sneakers.
—Rylee Johnston, PEOPLE, 14 Nov. 2025
Carpenter, eye-catching in a glittery fringe dress, couldn’t help but exude a certain edginess onstage at the Opry House, even if the 26-year-old left out some of her favorite swear words.
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2025
What these pants add to the look is a bit of edginess.
—Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 8 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for edginess
Noun
-
While 88% of companies report regular AI use, according to McKinsey, adoption may be stalling as a result of employees’ anxiety around the technology displacing them from their jobs.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Noise pollution is a real health issue linked to sleep disorders, elevated blood pressure and anxiety.—
Kim Komando The Kim Komando Show,
FOXNews.com,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
This is a novel about Jewish bodies and how people respond to them, the toll of obsession, and the conflicting currents of desire and unease that shake and startle a deep romantic fixation.—
Daniel Felsenthal,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The all-female directing team (led by producing director Weronika Tofilska, who helms half the season) take evident pleasure in effectively ramping up Rachel’s unease with jump scares and desolate, depopulated landscapes.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
At war while worries about jobs and household costs linger, his approval is down.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Another worry is whether residential and small-business customers will see their bills go up to help cover the costs of the new power needed.—
Judith Kohler,
Denver Post,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Roller coasters are the ultimate mix of thrill and are designed to toy with gravity and your nerves.—
Tiffany Acosta,
AZCentral.com,
26 Mar. 2026
-
That turned out to be just a citywide case of nerves.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The escalating tensions came into sharp focus March 27, when animosity between GOP lawmakers in the two chambers of Congress burst dramatically into view.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
-
That plan ultimately goes awry, with Margot surviving the attack, smartly staged in a way that doesn’t completely ratchet up the violent tension, keeping the audience in an appropriate level of comfort while not compromising the narrative.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The combination of sugar and caffeine may cause more jitteriness than coffee alone.—
Caitlin Beale,
Health,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Four Sigmatic coffee contains less caffeine to help prevent jitteriness and energy crashes.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Market jumpiness can serve as a good moment for those nearing the end of their career to make sure their nest egg is prepared for a downturn, Benz said.—
Annie Nova,Ryan Ermey,
CNBC,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Conference Board economist Dana Peterson noted these state indexes have a history of statistical jumpiness.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
30 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Now, with early voting for the March 3 primary set to start next week, the mudslinging in both races is expected to soar, according to insiders with both parties watching with skittishness from Texas and Washington.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The skittishness with tech stocks subsided on Friday, with shares of Nvidia and Microsoft going up, as did the price of Bitcoin.—
Carlos Garcia,
Fortune,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Edginess.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/edginess. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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