jittery

adjective

ˈji-tə-rē How to pronounce jittery (audio)
Definition of jitterynext
1
as in excitable
easily excited by nature a jittery person who shouldn't even consider a career as an air traffic controller

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in worried
feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty feeling a little jittery before the flight

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 jittery Holland’s jittery, earnest, winsome take on the iconic 64-year-old comic iconic was instantly likable, radiating teen-geek charisma. — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2026 The most egregious case is Sturgis’ Ru, who transforms over the course of the play from a jittery wreck into a vengeful, plaintive monster. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026 On Wednesday, jittery neighbors said the near disaster is definitely keeping them on edge. — Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 8 July 2026 Outside of a jittery first half against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Marsch’s Canada have consistently pushed the tempo in the World Cup. — Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for jittery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jittery
  1. excitable
  2. worried
  3. nervous
  4. anxious
  5. upset
  6. uneasy
  7. troubled
Adjective
  • Kalind, the younger brother of a bonobo named Kevin, was the more excitable and playful of the two.
    — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Hailing from San Antonio, Texas, Deanna is a proud mother of three and an excitable introvert.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of excitable
Adjective
  • For my worried patient, that study was not a countdown clock on his chance to become a dad.
    — Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026
  • In the Vatican, some pilgrims were worried, hopeful and a little disappointed.
    — Claudio Lavanga, NBC news, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of worried
Adjective
  • Any agency whose main product is activity rather than thinking should be very nervous right now; frankly, some of them should have been nervous years ago.
    — Angelica Kopec, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Consumers in the country, nervous about the shaky economy, are loading up on gold jewelry, bars and coins.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of nervous
Adjective
  • There’s also reassuring initial bite at the top of the travel, yet the setup doesn’t feel grabby or overly anxious in everyday driving situations.
    — Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Gong’s collection followed the emotional arc of unrequited love, from the first spark and the anxious wait to the social-media sleuthing, a date, and the sudden disappearance that follows.
    — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of anxious
Adjective
  • The dispute could present a problem for Raman, who rode DSA support to an upset City Council victory in 2020 but has since frustrated some DSA members with her positions on policing, housing development, and Israel.
    — Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 19 Oct. 2026
  • With the upset win over the Ravens, Cleveland moves to 4-2 and into a tie with Baltimore and Pittsburgh.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of upset
Adjective
  • An uneasy quiet took over the boat as customers waited for another catch.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Republican candidates are facing voters uneasy, even angry about high prices and an unpopular war.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of uneasy
Adjective
  • Super Micro Computer, the troubled hardware ally of Nvidia and Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has finally hired a new head of finance.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Actor Ryan Eggold made an appearance reprising his role as Matt Riley, the troubled brother of Detective Vincent Riley, showing up in court and wanting justice for his brother’s death.
    — Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of troubled

Browse Nearby Words

jitters
jittery
jive
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Cite this Entry

“Jittery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jittery. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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