as in fiddling
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Dissimilar Words
as in twitching
to make jerky or restless movements
small children are likely to fidget in church
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Recent Examples of fidgeting
Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025
That fit may cut down on mid-session fidgeting during a video call or while answering a quick text.
—Footwear News, 11 Nov. 2025
People with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism may share symptoms like fidgeting and restlessness.
—Laura Dorwart, Health, 29 Sep. 2025
Video of the attack shows Brown fidgeting and restless.
—Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
Getting the band to fit right took me a bit of fidgeting.
—PC Magazine, 15 Aug. 2025
Rather than being persuaded by your content, they’re distracted by poor eye contact, fidgeting or a tentative tone.
—Sue Reynolds-Frost, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
As the court moved to watch the KSTU-TV segment, Tyler Robinson appeared to begin fidgeting, with one of his hands moving and rubbing his fingers back and forth.
—Stepheny Price , Sarah Rumpf-Whitten , Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 17 Apr. 2026
The design was inspired by the hair-tearing boredom of COVID lockdown-era remote work, a time in which Knafs founder Ben Petersen maintained sanity during Zoom calls by fidgeting around with pocket knives and doodling pictures.
—New Atlas, 26 Mar. 2026
Minimal but purposeful movement, avoiding fidgeting or excessive gestures, shows intention.
—Cheryl Robinson, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Cole, wearing a khaki jumpsuit, spent much of the hearing sitting quietly and attentively as the parties argued, occasionally adjusting his glasses or fidgeting slightly in his chair.
—Gary Grumbach, NBC news, 30 Dec. 2025
Applause intermingled with tears as the families of the Camp Mystic campers and counselors looked on, many with small children fidgeting in their Sunday-best attire behind the governor.
—Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
Canines might be stressed and anxious, which can be shown through panting, whining, barking, pacing or fidgeting.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025
That fit may cut down on mid-session fidgeting during a video call or while answering a quick text.
—Footwear News, 11 Nov. 2025
People with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism may share symptoms like fidgeting and restlessness.
—Laura Dorwart, Health, 29 Sep. 2025
Video of the attack shows Brown fidgeting and restless.
—Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
Getting the band to fit right took me a bit of fidgeting.
—PC Magazine, 15 Aug. 2025
Rather than being persuaded by your content, they’re distracted by poor eye contact, fidgeting or a tentative tone.
—Sue Reynolds-Frost, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Verb
Pekara said hospital surveillance footage captured him fidgeting under the blanket.
—Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
As the court moved to watch the KSTU-TV segment, Tyler Robinson appeared to begin fidgeting, with one of his hands moving and rubbing his fingers back and forth.
—Stepheny Price , Sarah Rumpf-Whitten , Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 17 Apr. 2026
The design was inspired by the hair-tearing boredom of COVID lockdown-era remote work, a time in which Knafs founder Ben Petersen maintained sanity during Zoom calls by fidgeting around with pocket knives and doodling pictures.
—New Atlas, 26 Mar. 2026
Minimal but purposeful movement, avoiding fidgeting or excessive gestures, shows intention.
—Cheryl Robinson, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Cole, wearing a khaki jumpsuit, spent much of the hearing sitting quietly and attentively as the parties argued, occasionally adjusting his glasses or fidgeting slightly in his chair.
—Gary Grumbach, NBC news, 30 Dec. 2025
Applause intermingled with tears as the families of the Camp Mystic campers and counselors looked on, many with small children fidgeting in their Sunday-best attire behind the governor.
—Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fidgeting
Noun
-
Her fiddling is a looser, freer, more accessible type of memorialization—less a notation than an invocation, a summoning of her homeland’s spirit.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
-
Colorado’s lone goal was a result of some Matt Wells tactical fiddling — and Keegan Rosenberry playing like his job’s on the line — gone right.—
Braidon Nourse,
Denver Post,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Hormuz crisis will not end when oil markets stop twitching.—
John W.H. Denton AO,
Fortune,
6 June 2026
-
The Buena Vista Social Club features feet-twitching music and Wolf says that, obviously, people want to get up and dance but that’s just not allowed.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Jost proceeded to read them — as usual squirming while doing it.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
21 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The Cubs’ Javier Assad, by contrast, shut down the Giants’ offense for a second straight outing, tossing six scoreless innings with five strikeouts to one walk.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
13 June 2026
-
As the place’s name implies, soccer is televised, but can be overshadowed by horseracing events that leave locals tossing their betting forms in frustration.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
Throughout the writhing and the screaming, Julia’s fortitude wears down a defiant Davina, whose history with Lovat feeds the moment.—
Hunter Ingram,
Variety,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Physical tics can be as subtle as eye blinking, or involve jerking the arms, or stretching the neck.—
Cara Lynn Shultz,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
-
Avoid jerking the floss or aggressive movements; instead, use smooth, gentle motions.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Barnard attended the ceremony with Soprano, Lola’s female stand-in and a convincing lookalike, who accepted the collar with considerable enthusiasm and even more considerable wriggling.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
The first huddle of a summer Chiefs practice Thursday began with something of a trademark — the right-hand fingers of quarterback Patrick Mahomes wiggling in the air, requesting a play call.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
29 May 2026
-
The dancing and wiggling Mini Pi Plus robot from High Torque of China, for instance, still can’t help at an auto plant or do your dishes.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fidgeting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fidgeting. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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