jittery

adjective

jit·​tery ˈji-tə-rē How to pronounce jittery (audio)
Synonyms of jitterynext
1
: suffering from the jitters
2
: marked by jittering movements
jitteriness
ˈji-tə-rē-nəs How to pronounce jittery (audio)
noun

Synonyms of jittery

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Examples of jittery in a Sentence

I always get jittery when I have to give a speech. The latest economic news has made some investors jittery.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The morning’s shooting hadn’t made the muleys thereabouts any less jittery. — Erwin A. Bauer, Outdoor Life, 14 Oct. 2026 French government borrowing costs have soared to their highest level in nearly a quarter of a century as jittery bond markets have responded to the country's failure to impose fiscal consolidation. — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026 His Chris Hansen is all flashy surface, full of jittery go-getter energy and disturbingly devoid of inner life. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2026 After two jittery routines to start her competition, Claire triumphed with a stick to rocket ahead of Blakely and Carey. — Caroline Price, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for jittery

Word History

First Known Use

1931, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of jittery was in 1931

Rhymes for jittery

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Browse Nearby Words

jitteriness
jittery
jiujitsu
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Cite this Entry

“Jittery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jittery. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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