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
Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
Jessica Kiang, Variety, 17 Aug. 2025
Prater, who was expecting gory details, is a little harder to read, though his face twitching doesn’t seem like a great sign.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 15 Aug. 2025
Noun
Patients first experience twitching or weakness in a limb, often followed by slurred speech.
—Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
Koberidze opens with a montage of cats, foot traffic, street dogs twitching in their sleep, statues and trees casting long shadows across buildings.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 17 Aug. 2025
Prater, who was expecting gory details, is a little harder to read, though his face twitching doesn’t seem like a great sign.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for twitching
Noun
-
Olsen plays Joan’s indecision with winsome fluster, at first breathy and trembling but eventually finding her resolve.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Still, the cluster exhibited a subtle trembling motion while it was held in place.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
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
Verb
-
One video posted to the social platform X appeared to show Kirk addressing the students, at one point speaking about gang violence, before being struck near the neck and later jerking to his left side.—
Caroline Vakil,
The Hill,
10 Sep. 2025
-
The story follows a Jewish family across five generations, from childhood to adulthood, blending laughs and tear-jerking moments, just like in Bob-Waksberg’s other shows.—
Braedon Montgomery,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Daniel now lives with essential tremors, a condition that causes involuntary shaking of the head and hands.—
Bill Schiffmiller,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 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
-
With net in hand, the future microbial geochemist dredged up seaweed and mud squirming with snails, crab larvae and other small invertebrates.—
Laura Poppick,
Quanta Magazine,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Within seconds, officers in full riot gear surged forward in formation, yanking open the doors and pulling the passenger to safety.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Sep. 2025
-
But some lawmakers say that argument is baseless and that yanking the grants has left the state less equipped to prevent tragedies like this week’s attack at Annunciation Catholic School.—
Curt Devine,
CNN Money,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
But the way Herbert flashed early in his career, tossing seven touchdown passes and only one interception in a 2021 season sweep of the defending AFC champion Chiefs, had come to feel like a tease.—
Mike Sando,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Harrell’s improvement After a slow start against the Mountaineers in the Duke’s Mayo Classic, tossing an interception and completing just 54% of his passes, Harrell showed slight improvements against the Tar Heels’ defense.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
But while the new movie dawdles on its way to Toxie’s origins, then rushes toward a finale with a lurching rhythm that verges on calculated ineptitude, its spirit never feels inauthentic.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
29 Aug. 2025
-
The result, nearly eight months into his second term, is an economy that appears to be lurching into a new era of state control.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Twitching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/twitching. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share