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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 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 Vincent pursues Jimmy like a homing missile, but the young man is jittery and restless in his own skin up against Jimmy’s shameless self-assuredness. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 20 May 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
  • Ross doesn’t tend towards punch-the-air climaxes—just warm, excitable builds.
    — Shaad D’Souza, Pitchfork, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Shaffelburg’s boundless enthusiasm and high work rate led one LAFC staffer to liken him to an excitable golden retriever, a comparison the player did not challenge.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of excitable
Adjective
  • When Republican lawmakers secured cuts to the United States' largest food assistance program last year, Paige Shoemaker DeMio wasn't worried about children going hungry just at home — but at school.
    — Juliana Kim, NPR, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Mattfeld is excellent in what could easily have been a thankless role, playing Ricky with the mien of someone who is always holding it together, years of disappointment and condescension and expectation keeping her eyes worried and jaw tight.
    — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of worried
Adjective
  • The letter writer is almost 40 and nervous about living with a romantic partner for the first time.
    — Shane O’Neill, Washington Post, 3 Sep. 2026
  • That energy spike is reinforcing inflation worries in a bond market already nervous about America’s $40 trillion mountain of debt.
    — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of nervous
Adjective
  • History suggests that anxious allies who are not reassured by their more powerful patron will invest in their own defense.
    — JENNIFER KAVANAGH, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2026
  • For me, Sliman was pouring water on a dormant seed anxious to sprout.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of anxious
Adjective
  • An upset victory in Alaska for Democrats would be a massive step toward achieving that goal.
    — Joey Garrison, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Clancy appeared upset during the sidebar but returned to the defense table with a stoic expression.
    — Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of upset
Adjective
  • As the video popped up on social media and the Spanish-language Facebook group Danbury Al Dia, Hernandez grew uneasy.
    — Laura Tillman, Hartford Courant, 31 Aug. 2026
  • In addition to Cima and her father, the film centers on Hig and Bangley (Josh Brolin), two very different men whose uneasy partnership is shaped by the harsh realities of their new world.
    — Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of uneasy
Adjective
  • The engaging biopic tracks Davidson's troubled upbringing to finding a way as an adult to deal with his condition and discover needed confidence.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Watching myself in the insightful new doc Boorman and the Devil, about the troubled 1977 sequel to The Exorcist, was a very strange experience.
    — Britina Cheng, Vulture, 28 Aug. 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 5 Sep. 2026.

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