twitchy

adjective

ˈtwi-chē 

twitchier; twitchiest

1

: marked by twitches or jerking movements : tending to twitch

Oliver did not think he would be able to sleep, but he did sleep—a restless, twitchy sleep filled with hideous dreams.

—Eva Ibbotson

Round-shouldered yet angular, he walked in a twitchy manner that recalled a spider, his oily hair swinging about his face.

—J. K. Rowling

2

: nervously on edge or fretful

This revelation was an incredible relief to those of us who get a little twitchy at the thought of making pasta …

—Jane Daniels Lear

There was action every minute, and so much momentum carrying the story forward that until I finished it, I was in a sort of twitchy agony if I got stuck doing anything else.

—Eric Konigsberg

Synonyms

• antsy
• fidgety
• squirmy
• wiggly
• wriggly

Examples of twitchy in a Sentence

examining the twitchy little poodle was a challenge for the vet

Recent Examples on the Web

Returning was a heart-wrenching proposition—not least since Goggins’s on-screen persona of Rick—the twitchy, depressive boyfriend of the much younger Chelsea played by Aimee Lou Wood—shares a lot of the brooding misanthropy of his former broken self. —Charlie Campbell / Koh Samui, TIME, 14 Feb. 2025

While twitchy, his overall power leaves a lot to be desired. —Alec Lewis, The Athletic, 5 Aug. 2024

There is something anxious about them, something nerve-jangling and twitchy. —Peter Ross, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Jan. 2025

Stewart is twitchy and on edge, yet still totally charming, while O’Brian (known for smaller supporting roles in titles like Twisters, The Mandalorian, and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania) is unforgettable as Jackie, who starts out tough and ambitious but soon begins to unravel and lose control. —Photo: Courtesy Of Mgm., refinery29.com, 23 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1787, in the meaning defined at sense 1