fidget

1 of 2

noun

fidg·​et ˈfi-jət 

plural fidgets

1

: uneasiness or restlessness as shown by nervous movements

—usually used in the phrase the fidgets

got the fidgets in church

a case of the fidgets

2

[fidget entry 2] : someone who fidgets

"I was a very energetic child and my mother looked for outlets for that energy. I was a fidget," she [Monica Mason] says.

—Nick Clark

3

: something (such as a toy) that is designed to be held and manipulated (as to decrease stress and anxiety)

For a child with tactile difficulties, … give the child a fidget, or toy, during seated activities.

—Vrinda Murphy

You've probably seen the kid spinning a thing that looks like a miniature alien spaceship on his thumb and wondered what that was all about. Or maybe you've noticed a co-worker secretly fiddling with a cube with buttons on it under the conference table. These odd-shaped, oddly addictive objects—designed to let you channel extra energy into your fingers as you go about your day—are fidgets.

—Ariana Eunjung Cha

Senior care facilities have found that residents with dementia enjoy using fidget spinners to occupy their hands, calm their minds, and redirect attention.

—Houston Defender

Besides being fun to hold and squeeze, slime is also a useful fidget toy that can alleviate anxiety and help kids stay on task, Palmer said.

—Cameron Morsberger

fidget

2 of 2

verb

fidgeted; fidgeting; fidgets

intransitive verb

: to move or act restlessly or nervously

transitive verb

: to cause to move or act nervously

Synonyms

Noun

• edginess
• fidgetiness
• flightiness
• jitteriness
• jumpiness
• restiveness
• skittishness

Verb

• fiddle
• jerk
• jig
• jiggle
• squiggle
• squirm
• thrash
• thresh
• toss
• twist
• twitch
• wiggle
• wriggle
• writhe

Examples of fidget in a Sentence

Noun

one dental patient in the waiting room had a bad case of the fidgets

Verb

He was constantly fidgeting in his chair.

small children are likely to fidget in church

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

At Prabowo’s ranch in the hills south of Jakarta, 400 young men in crewcuts and oil green uniforms fidget in an amphitheater as the Dutch war epic The East plays overhead. —Charlie Campbell / Jakarta, TIME, 14 Oct. 2024

As a treat, consider exchanging costumes for a token gift such as a fidget, stamps, or a small Play-Doh. —Sarah Scott, Parents, 17 Oct. 2024

Verb

Movements should be purposeful and calm, avoiding fidgeting, which can project anxiety or lack of control. —Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024

Hands that had never fidgeted were suddenly restless, moving back and forth. —Sage Mehta, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

irregular from fidge

First Known Use

Noun

1674, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1754, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Phrases Containing fidget

• fidget spinners
• fidget toy
• fidget with

Kids Definition

fidget

1 of 2 noun

fidg·​et ˈfij-ət 

1

plural : restlessness as shown by nervous movements

2

: one that fidgets

fidgety

-ət-ē

adjective

fidget

2 of 2 verb

: to move or act nervously or restlessly