as in to twitch
to make jerky or restless movements
small children are likely to fidget in church
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fidget
The design was inspired by the hair-tearing boredom of COVID lockdown-era remote work, a time in which Knafs founder Ben Petersen maintained sanity during Zoom calls by fidgeting around with pocket knives and doodling pictures.
—
New Atlas, 26 Mar. 2026
One woman ordered some home furniture while two children fidgeted nearby.
—David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2026
Between each dance was an excruciating silence during which network-TV producers monitored and reset their equipment while the men fidgeted onstage like excitable children.
—Rebecca Jennings, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
Saturday’s game is also being advertised an autism awareness night, offering earplugs, fidget toys and a sensory break area for fans who plan to attend.
—Charlotte Observer, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fidget
New Atlas, 26 Mar. 2026
One woman ordered some home furniture while two children fidgeted nearby.
—David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2026
Between each dance was an excruciating silence during which network-TV producers monitored and reset their equipment while the men fidgeted onstage like excitable children.
—Rebecca Jennings, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
Saturday’s game is also being advertised an autism awareness night, offering earplugs, fidget toys and a sensory break area for fans who plan to attend.
—Charlotte Observer, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fidget
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fidget
Verb
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My jaw twitched uncontrollably.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 May 2026
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Here, American fighter planes, cargo ships and Japanese freighters have spent decades transforming into thriving artificial reefs, draped in coral and surrounded by twitching clouds of tropical fish.—
Dea Jusufi,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2026
Verb
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Belloumi’s 64th-minute strike with his left foot broke the deadlock in the second game of the two-leg affair and Gelhardt made sure with a low shot that squirmed past the Millwall goalkeeper.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 May 2026
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For moist at least, a long history as a word associated with bodily discharge coupled with its more recent use as a sexualized word positioned it as one that makes young modern women squirm more than men.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The victim described, matter-of-factly, how her trafficker had cut up jalapeños and tossed them into a toilet before banging her head against the inside of the bowl and dunking it into the water.—
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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And while tossing and turning is common, some disturbances are more unsettling.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
17 May 2026
Verb
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According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of seizures can include short-term confusion, staring spells, stiff muscles and jerking movements of the arms and legs.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
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Avoid jerking the floss or aggressive movements; instead, use smooth, gentle motions.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
12 May 2026
Verb
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On Sunday, the lineup includes Tatiana Hargreaves, a rising-star in the bluegrass fiddling scene, with her band and special guest Michael Daves; the honky-tonk duo Caleb Lauder and Reeb Wllms with their band the Cali Cutups; and Pleasanton native and all-world strings player Tony Furtado.—
Randy McMullen,
Mercury News,
30 Apr. 2026
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The contract model means that when Congress fiddles, it isn’t impacted.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Arndt allowed baserunners in each of the first five innings but wiggled out of most of the jams.—
Paul Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
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Pebbles twitched, branches waggled, cholla wiggled, weeds erupted then dried up and died.—
Alina Hartounian,
NPR,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fidget.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fidget. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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