as in anxiety
a state of nervousness marked by sudden jerky movements
the edginess of the basketball players in the moments before the start of the tournament was apparent
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Recent Examples of edginess
Without going the easy route of just talking about whatever group is in the edginess Zeitgeist at the moment, Holmes is tapping into an audience’s desire to have someone express their anger and frustration at the world, but in a way that is more openhearted and connective.
—
Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 30 Mar. 2026
At the Grammys, Minerva applied the classic neutral OPI Bare My Soul to Lovato's nails but outlined each one with thin strokes of Black Onyx for just the right amount of edginess, and did the same with rhinestones for a glitzy, glam mani during the holidays.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 19 Feb. 2026
Feeling hesitant about periwinkle’s edginess?
—Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 29 Jan. 2026
High-waist black leather pants and a crop top add edginess, while the trench effortlessly pulls the look together.
—Samantha Brash, InStyle, 28 Jan. 2026
Besides playing with his usual defensive edginess, Larsson chipped in 16 points (7-for-9 shooting), nine assists, six rebounds and a steal and twice managed to infuriate normally mild-manner veteran DeMar DeRozan, who body checked him to the ground on one sequence and clotheslined him on another.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 21 Jan. 2026
To generate relevancy and influence, social-media algorithms demand spectacle, conflict, and edginess.
—Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025
The raw hem adds a touch of edginess that’ll spice up even a pair of white sneakers.
—Rylee Johnston, PEOPLE, 14 Nov. 2025
Carpenter, eye-catching in a glittery fringe dress, couldn’t help but exude a certain edginess onstage at the Opry House, even if the 26-year-old left out some of her favorite swear words.
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2025
Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 30 Mar. 2026
At the Grammys, Minerva applied the classic neutral OPI Bare My Soul to Lovato's nails but outlined each one with thin strokes of Black Onyx for just the right amount of edginess, and did the same with rhinestones for a glitzy, glam mani during the holidays.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 19 Feb. 2026
Feeling hesitant about periwinkle’s edginess?
—Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 29 Jan. 2026
High-waist black leather pants and a crop top add edginess, while the trench effortlessly pulls the look together.
—Samantha Brash, InStyle, 28 Jan. 2026
Besides playing with his usual defensive edginess, Larsson chipped in 16 points (7-for-9 shooting), nine assists, six rebounds and a steal and twice managed to infuriate normally mild-manner veteran DeMar DeRozan, who body checked him to the ground on one sequence and clotheslined him on another.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 21 Jan. 2026
To generate relevancy and influence, social-media algorithms demand spectacle, conflict, and edginess.
—Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025
The raw hem adds a touch of edginess that’ll spice up even a pair of white sneakers.
—Rylee Johnston, PEOPLE, 14 Nov. 2025
Carpenter, eye-catching in a glittery fringe dress, couldn’t help but exude a certain edginess onstage at the Opry House, even if the 26-year-old left out some of her favorite swear words.
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for edginess
Noun
-
While 88% of companies report regular AI use, according to McKinsey, adoption may be stalling as a result of employees’ anxiety around the technology displacing them from their jobs.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Noise pollution is a real health issue linked to sleep disorders, elevated blood pressure and anxiety.—
Kim Komando The Kim Komando Show,
FOXNews.com,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But that same inspiration has sometimes drawn questions — and unease — from potential buyers.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
3 Apr. 2026
-
But in the shadows, amid growing unease at the bloodthirsty actions of the realm’s merciless Mad King, dissenters from his inner circle anxiously advance a treasonous plot.—
Ryan Brennan
April 3,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Some of Bondi's allies believe that the lack of prosecutions is attributable to Blanche, who has not pushed them too hard amid political concerns and worries about his future after his Justice Department career.—
Sarah N. Lynch,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The electric carmaker last week reported its first decline in annual profit since 2022, but worries over rising gasoline prices has boosted its business.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The nerves were there, but so was the excitement.—
Kalen Lumpkins,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
-
In the fullness of time, Nancy had a Nest camera installed—one of those all-seeing eyes meant to guard the property and calm anxious nerves and provide real safety from intrusion.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
An intense search-and-rescue effort is underway for the second crew member of an F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet that crashed in Iran amid escalating tension in the Middle East.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Starbucks’ $500 million turnaround effort and union tensions The coffee chain’s new pay perks come amid a $500 million turnaround effort and ongoing tensions with unionized workers.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The combination of sugar and caffeine may cause more jitteriness than coffee alone.—
Caitlin Beale,
Health,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Four Sigmatic coffee contains less caffeine to help prevent jitteriness and energy crashes.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Market jumpiness can serve as a good moment for those nearing the end of their career to make sure their nest egg is prepared for a downturn, Benz said.—
Annie Nova,Ryan Ermey,
CNBC,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Conference Board economist Dana Peterson noted these state indexes have a history of statistical jumpiness.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
30 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Now, with early voting for the March 3 primary set to start next week, the mudslinging in both races is expected to soar, according to insiders with both parties watching with skittishness from Texas and Washington.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The skittishness with tech stocks subsided on Friday, with shares of Nvidia and Microsoft going up, as did the price of Bitcoin.—
Carlos Garcia,
Fortune,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Edginess.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/edginess. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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