adj

jittery

JIHT-ree

Jittery (adj) means Nervous, anxious, or unable to keep still. Example: “She felt jittery before walking on stage.”

adj

Nervous, anxious, or unable to keep still.

"She felt jittery before walking on stage."

"Too much coffee left him jittery all morning."

Showing unwanted small, rapid variations, especially in an electronic signal or image.

"The video feed looked jittery over the slow connection."

How to use jittery

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishOn edge and shaky — either a nervous feeling or an unstable signal.

Easily confused with

jitters

Common pairings

feel jittery jittery hands jittery markets

Word forms

jitterier comparative, jitteriest superlative

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She felt _____ before walking on stage.

Etymology

From jitter ("to move nervously") + the adjective suffix -y.

Rhymes for jittery

very every fiery query leery artery celery bakery finery ornery misery watery

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Frequently asked questions

What does “jittery” mean?

The word “jittery” means nervous, anxious, or unable to keep still. In plain terms, on edge and shaky — either a nervous feeling or an unstable signal.

How do you pronounce “jittery”?

“Jittery” is pronounced JIHT-ree (/ˈd͡ʒɪt.ə.ɹi/ in IPA).

How do you use “jittery” in a sentence?

Here is “jittery” used in a sentence: “She felt jittery before walking on stage.”

What part of speech is “jittery”?

“Jittery” is an adjective.

How many meanings does “jittery” have?

“Jittery” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: nervous, anxious, or unable to keep still.