as in trembling
a series of slight movements by a body back and forth or from side to side
the twitching of my cat's ears was a signal that I should stop petting her before she got any angrier
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in fidgeting
to make jerky or restless movements
the dog twitched in her sleep
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in jerking
to move or cause to move with a sharp quick motion
the rabbit twitched its nose
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 twitching
Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 20 Feb. 2026
After 10 weeks without food, Muraisi is experiencing involuntary muscular twitching and severe chest pains, according to Prisoners for Palestine, with her doctors warning of possible cardiovascular collapse.
—Kara Fox, CNN Money, 14 Jan. 2026
Patients first experience twitching or weakness in a limb, as Decker did.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 16 Dec. 2025
The more serious side effects of caffeine overdose include trouble breathing, sudden high blood pressure, muscle twitching, confusion, vomiting and seizures.
—News Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026
Levy brought the dog in dead and claimed that that the dog had a seizure and was vomiting, choking and twitching before his death.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2026
The film uses music, the clippity-clop of hooves and twitching furry ears for her three donkeys — Palaye, Ruperto, Palomo — to surf critical acclaim on the film festival circuit to the upcoming Academy Awards.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 19 Feb. 2026
But the Missouri was always a wild river twitching its bed from side to side across its flood plain.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 1 Feb. 2026
Harnessing the camp of countless Drag Race acting challenges that came before her, Jujubee films a close-up reaction to a group of rowdy passengers reprimanding her, escalating the moment until her face is full-on twitching before a physical confrontation.
—Jillian Sederholm, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Jan. 2026
His eye is twitching, just a little.
—Allegra Goodman, New Yorker, 4 Jan. 2026
In a heartbreaking video, a partially paralyzed dog is caught twitching his paws in his sleep, and internet users can’t stop sobbing.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
Picture objects levitating or twitching without external interference—or switching rooms.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Oct. 2025
Noun
The disease, which gets worse over time, starts with muscle twitching, slurred speech, or weakness in an arm or leg.
—Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 20 Feb. 2026
After 10 weeks without food, Muraisi is experiencing involuntary muscular twitching and severe chest pains, according to Prisoners for Palestine, with her doctors warning of possible cardiovascular collapse.
—Kara Fox, CNN Money, 14 Jan. 2026
Patients first experience twitching or weakness in a limb, as Decker did.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 16 Dec. 2025
The more serious side effects of caffeine overdose include trouble breathing, sudden high blood pressure, muscle twitching, confusion, vomiting and seizures.
—News Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
Verb
Behind them a young man with a paint-flecked beard followed the designer about the set, twitching the hem of the velvet curtains hung at the window and rearranging the ornaments on the mantelpiece.
—Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026
Levy brought the dog in dead and claimed that that the dog had a seizure and was vomiting, choking and twitching before his death.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2026
The film uses music, the clippity-clop of hooves and twitching furry ears for her three donkeys — Palaye, Ruperto, Palomo — to surf critical acclaim on the film festival circuit to the upcoming Academy Awards.
—Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 19 Feb. 2026
But the Missouri was always a wild river twitching its bed from side to side across its flood plain.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 1 Feb. 2026
Harnessing the camp of countless Drag Race acting challenges that came before her, Jujubee films a close-up reaction to a group of rowdy passengers reprimanding her, escalating the moment until her face is full-on twitching before a physical confrontation.
—Jillian Sederholm, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Jan. 2026
His eye is twitching, just a little.
—Allegra Goodman, New Yorker, 4 Jan. 2026
In a heartbreaking video, a partially paralyzed dog is caught twitching his paws in his sleep, and internet users can’t stop sobbing.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
Picture objects levitating or twitching without external interference—or switching rooms.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for twitching
Noun
-
Its strength ranges from mild, causing little more discomfort than a slight trembling, to severe, in which passengers or flight crew can be thrown around the cabin and risk injury if not wearing seatbelts.—
Cat Rainsford,
Popular Science,
15 Jan. 2026
-
There’s Walter’s serene cello and Marjorie’s pensive, slightly coy violin, sometimes playful or petulant or, still, a little vain and secretive — other times thin and trembling, lost in the haze of dementia.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
9 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
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
Verb
-
The clip on TikTok shows the seat jerking abruptly, apparently from forceful pushes by the person seated behind her.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
13 Mar. 2026
-
But then her limbs started jerking.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Moderate shaking impacted 19,000 people near the temblor’s epicenter.—
Chris Dolce,
CNN Money,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
There will be no squirming tonight.—
Addie Citchens,
New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2026
-
In the new iteration that would be Jack and his girlfriend Martha (Elle Fanning), whose introduction to the Taylors is one of many scenes played out with squirming discomfort.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The body-camera footage shows Exum yanking the wheel left, toward the Rogue, then right.—
Ruby Cramer,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Other plaintiffs’ attorneys, however, have called the CEO’s threat of yanking the product a scare tactic.—
Lisa Schencker,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The horror has come now like a storm— what if this night prefigured the night after death— what if all thereafter was an eternal quivering on the edge of an abyss, with everything base and vicious in oneself urging one forward and the baseness and viciousness of the world just ahead.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Mar. 2026
-
The old dog slowed to a stop, nose full of bird stink, feathery tail quivering.—
Joel M. Vance,
Outdoor Life,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Cornhole toss Set up the sturdy cornhole boards and get to tossing the eight all-weather regulation bean bags.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Mar. 2026
-
So was Korea’s top pitcher in pool play, tossing five innings of one-run ball over two appearances (one start).—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Twitching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/twitching. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
