# fidget

/ˈfɪdʒɪt/ (US) · /fˈɪdʒɪt/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/fidget
Updated: 2026-10-19

## Definition

to make small, restless movements with your hands or feet because you feel bored, nervous, or impatient.

For teachers: to make small, restless movements, typically with the hands or feet, from nervousness, boredom, or impatience. Often done without thinking and signals discomfort or distraction.

## Examples

- She fidgets with her pen during long meetings.
- The nervous boy fidgets in his chair while waiting outside the principal's office.
- Throughout the lengthy testimony, the witness fidgets with the edge of his sleeve, betraying an anxiety his steady voice tries to conceal.

## Synonyms

fiddle

## Usage notes

- Intransitive; often followed by 'with' plus the thing handled ('fidget with keys').

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.