1
as in worried
feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty
with an edgy voice the spelling-bee contestant started to spell the tongue twister
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2
as in sharpened
having an edge thin enough to cut or pierce something
be careful as you walk along the beach—those broken clam shells are edgy enough to cut your feet
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in provocative
serving or likely to arouse a strong reaction
a director known for his edgy, over-the-top satires on modern life
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of edgy
The nervous, edgy atmosphere that at times lingered around the stadium during their goalless draw with Fulham on Sunday was easy to understand.
—
Paul Taylor, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Kristen Stewart, who tends to put her own spin on Chanel’s classic looks, continued that trend in an edgy, black sheer and netted jacket and skirt from the Métiers d’art 2026 collection.
—Brandi Fowler, InStyle, 16 Mar. 2026
To the filmmakers’ credit, though, tension and edgy humor are sustained for nearly 90 minutes of caustic entertainment.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026
And at the early 2026 box office, Emerald Fennell’s edgy Wuthering Heights adaptation recently crossed the $200 million mark globally after three weekends.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for edgy
Paul Taylor, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
Kristen Stewart, who tends to put her own spin on Chanel’s classic looks, continued that trend in an edgy, black sheer and netted jacket and skirt from the Métiers d’art 2026 collection.
—Brandi Fowler, InStyle, 16 Mar. 2026
To the filmmakers’ credit, though, tension and edgy humor are sustained for nearly 90 minutes of caustic entertainment.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026
And at the early 2026 box office, Emerald Fennell’s edgy Wuthering Heights adaptation recently crossed the $200 million mark globally after three weekends.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 14 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for edgy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for edgy
Adjective
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Her advice to anyone who is worried about giant hogweed is to take steps to identify it.—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
26 Mar. 2026
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So, should human artists be worried?—
Stephy Chung,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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His savior was the experimental documentarian Harun Farocki, famous for provocative works that skewered bourgeois complacency.—
Holden Seidlitz,
New Yorker,
20 Mar. 2026
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The book includes provocative texts from Semiotext(e) contributors like Chris Kraus, Hedi El Kholti, Abdellah Taïa, Lauren Mackler and French novelist Constance Debré, among others.—
Sammy Loren,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Even small amounts of mercury can cause severe damage to the nervous, digestive and immune systems, as well as to the lungs, kidneys, skin and eyes.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
24 Mar. 2026
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Four more years of antibiotics made Morales nervous.—
Eric Boodman,
STAT,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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City-level data show sharper declines from certain European hubs.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
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Poverty has fallen too, despite Milei’s sharp cut to subsidies that sparked mass protests.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The forthcoming guide, which education officials have described as a first step toward a more comprehensive handbook to be issued at a later date, is coming as families and teachers are deeply divided and anxious about the potential — and pitfalls — of the new technology.—
Cayla Bamberger,
New York Daily News,
23 Mar. 2026
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The promise was also made that the songs would speak to, and/or distract from, the anxious state of the world.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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But if the jumpers go cold, the Tide will be vulnerable to a first-round upset.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
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After trailing for most of the game, Minnesota used a frantic 14-0 run to start the final frame to finally wake up a home crowd that had been nervously starring down a major upset in their own backyard.—
Dane Mizutani,
Twin Cities,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The clashes at the core of the superb screenplay, by the helmer and Doruntina Basha, receive trenchant reinforcement in the score.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Jan. 2026
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Perhaps a better comparison for A$AP’s style isn’t a rhyme animal like Lamar, but a maximalist visionary like Travis Scott, who also seems more focused on colorful aural vibes than trenchant lyrical exegesis.—
Mosi Reeves,
Rolling Stone,
19 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Over years and then decades, the two women’s relationship swings between fierce sisterhood, bitter jealousy and an uneasy combination of the two.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Mar. 2026
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Reportedly, Kate is uneasy about the way Harry and Meghan have criticized the monarchy.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Edgy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/edgy. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
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