as in to twitch
to make jerky or restless movements
small children are likely to fidget in church
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Quiet rooms are available for overstimulated campers, stocked with noise-canceling headphones and fidget toys.
—
David Oliver, USA Today, 5 Aug. 2025
In your experience, do people fidget to purposely get non-conclusive results?
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2025
Instead, the players stood behind him patiently — fidgeting now and then, their faces mainly expressionless — as Trump answered questions that mostly related to the potential of U.S. involvement in Israel’s war against Iran.
—Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2025
These non-workout movements may include walking, cleaning, fidgeting, or running errands.
—Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for fidget
David Oliver, USA Today, 5 Aug. 2025
In your experience, do people fidget to purposely get non-conclusive results?
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2025
Instead, the players stood behind him patiently — fidgeting now and then, their faces mainly expressionless — as Trump answered questions that mostly related to the potential of U.S. involvement in Israel’s war against Iran.
—Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2025
These non-workout movements may include walking, cleaning, fidgeting, or running errands.
—Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for fidget
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fidget
Verb
-
My hand twitched toward the phone, muscle memory stronger than willpower.—
Maggie Downs,
Oc Register,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Jones’ raw traits have always been jaw-dropping — a 6-foot-6 defensive end who can combine an edge rusher’s twitch with an interior lineman’s power.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Still, Sabbath sounded amazing, the band’s distinctive vibe of limitless cosmic encumbrance, of Man squirming under the thumb of Fate, God, madness—the essential heavy-metal vision—somehow magnified by the venerable wobbliness of its playing.—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
12 Sep. 2025
-
But the Rockies, as is their wont, made the Padres squirm, belting 14 hits, including a solo home run by Mickey Moniak in the ninth off Robert Suarez.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
One night earlier, Cecconi tossed eight scoreless innings and carried a no-hitter through seven.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Move the ingredients to the hole and toss to cover them with the sauce.—
Linda Gassenheimer,
Boston Herald,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The president starts out by making a visit to Liberty Arena to play basketball with some school children, then gets jerked away when the crisis happens.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
2 Sep. 2025
-
If Hall jerked too violently, let alone tried to run, the wire would pull the trigger, firing the shotgun Kiritsis had pointed at the back of Hall’s head.—
Katie Rife,
IndieWire,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
As Rossini stowed her purse in a tiny back office, a manager named Katie Atlas was onboarding a new employee, a young woman who fiddled nervously with her necklace.—
Hannah Goldfield,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
-
But so too does fiddle — not violin, fiddle — and piano.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Lopez allowed runs in the first and fifth innings, but each time wiggled out of what could have been big trouble.—
John Shipley,
Twin Cities,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Give the culprit a small spritz, let sit for a second, and then carefully wiggle the zipper back and forth while pulling up or down as needed.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fidget.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fidget. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share