adjective

jittery

/ˈdʒɪtəri/ · say it: JIT·uh·ree

nervous and unable to relax

In Emotions & Moods

In more detail

1. (adjective) nervous and unable to relax, often with slight shaky movements

2. (adjective) moving in a quick, jerky, or uncontrolled way

Examples

1. After drinking three cups of coffee, I felt jittery and couldn't sit still.
2. The old film had a jittery quality because it was damaged and old.

How to use jittery

Jittery describes a state of nervousness accompanied by physical signs like trembling or restless movement. It is more informal and vivid than clinical terms like 'anxious' and often suggests temporary, visible agitation, frequently caused by caffeine, lack of sleep, or anticipatory stress. It is commonly used in casual speech and creative writing.

Common phrases

jittery nerves
feel jittery
jittery movements
jittery hands
a bit jittery

Synonyms

nervous · anxious · edgy · tremulous · shaky

Opposites

calm · composed · steady

Word family

jitter (noun/verb) · jitteriness (noun) · jitterily (adverb)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes use 'jittery' to mean simply 'nervous' without the physical component; while overlap exists, jittery emphasizes the physical manifestation (shaking, twitching) more than pure anxiety does.

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