fidget

verb

Definition of fidgetnext
as in to twitch
to make jerky or restless movements small children are likely to fidget in church

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fidget The current boom is driven by Gen Z’s openness about mental health, social-commerce virality on TikTok and Etsy, and a broader nervous-system regulation movement that treats fidgeting as a legitimate coping tool rather than a bad habit. — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 17 Aug. 2026 At about 45 minutes in, guests were looking at their phones and fidgeting in their seats. — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 25 July 2026 A lot of those people have Victoria Baumann and Charlie Moreton to thank, the father-daughter duo behind Victoria Essie Studio that produces fidget toys and other knickknacks out of their homes in North Carolina. — Jennifer Liu valentina Duarte, CNBC, 14 June 2026 Rafa starts to fidget around noon before mama is supposed to meet us for her lunch break. — Literary Hub, 18 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for fidget
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fidget
  1. twitch
  2. squirm
  3. toss
  4. jerk
  5. fiddle
  6. wiggle
Verb
  • Previous research by the researchers documented twitching limbs and moving retinas in another jumping spider species.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Just then, Chee Meng’s fishing rod twitched, and the line began to run out.
    — Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of twitch
Verb
  • Erling Haaland headed City level in the second half, but Jackson got his second and the winner with a first-time finish that squirmed under goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • In the back, tanks bubbled with live lobsters while crawfish squirmed in boxes nearby.
    — Sara Rosenthal, Denver Post, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of squirm
Verb
  • Nix tossed a pair of touchdown passes, using the same play-call each time — leaking a back or wide receiver into the end zone.
    — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Drake London had his only reception on the next play, but the threat stalled when Penix tossed three incompletions from the 14 to turn the ball over on downs.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of toss
Verb
  • During the test, Linton jerked and twitched in what prosecutors described as an attempt to fake a seizure.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Drivers should never swerve or jerk the steering wheel, the state patrol said.
    — Celia Frazier, Denver Post, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of jerk
Verb
  • Her thumbs fiddled, and her eyebrows rose as Castillo excoriated government spending on undocumented immigrants.
    — Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • An Israeli police officer, one of a half-dozen standing guard around the group, fiddles on his phone.
    — Ilan Ben Zion, Christian Science Monitor, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of fiddle
Verb
  • The case feels sturdy enough, but the dial’s attachment wiggles enough to feel flimsy.
    — Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026
  • But your antennae should wiggle if a refinancing offer seems too good to be true.
    — Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of wiggle

Browse Nearby Words

fidelity
fidget
fidgeted
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fidget.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fidget. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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