twitchy

American  

[twich-ee] / ˈtwɪtʃ i /

adjective

twitchier, twitchiest

1. twitching or tending to twitch.

2. nervous; jumpy.

   All that pressure at the office has made him twitchy.

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twitchy British  

/ ˈtwɪtʃɪ /

adjective

1. nervous, worried, and ill-at-ease

   he was twitchy with anticipation

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Other Word Forms

• twitchiness noun

Etymology

Origin of twitchy

First recorded in 1740–50; twitch + -y ¹

Example Sentences

Soon after, twitchy soldiers defending Los Angeles unleashed a barrage of antiaircraft fire at what was later suspected to be a stray weather balloon.

From The Wall Street Journal

Oil trading will "remain incredibly twitchy" and prices are likely to spike if the conflict escalates and fall if it seems to be easing, he said.

From BBC

That was a complete bluff, but Elliot was too twitchy to notice.

From Literature

Before the face-off drama, a twitchy, stone-faced Dubois glanced around at the stained-glass windows as the managers went toe-to-toe backing their men.

From BBC

In fact, that very evening, after a celebratory cup of tea, Major Puff took up his marching practice around the burrow while the hare looked on in quiet yet twitchy awe.

From Literature