# itchy

/ˈɪtʃi/ (US) · /ˈɪtʃi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/itchy
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. feeling the need to scratch

adjective · CEFR B1

having a feeling on your skin that makes you want to scratch it.

For teachers: experiencing a localized or generalized sensation of pruritus that elicits the urge to scratch.

- My arm is really itchy after that mosquito bit me yesterday.
- The patient reported feeling itchy across his torso, though no visible rash was present during the initial examination.

### 2. causing a scratchy feeling

adjective · CEFR B1

describing something that makes your skin feel like it needs to be scratched.

For teachers: producing or capable of inducing an itching sensation upon contact with the skin.

- I can't wear this itchy wool sweater without a shirt underneath.
- The insulation material was notoriously itchy, requiring the workers to wear full protective suits to avoid skin irritation.

### 3. impatient or restless

adjective · CEFR B2 · Informal

feeling very impatient or eager to do something or go somewhere.

For teachers: characterized by a restless or impatient desire to act; often used in the idiom 'itchy feet'.

- After three years in the same job, he started getting itchy feet.
- The soldiers grew itchy as the hours passed without orders, their nerves frayed by the prolonged period of inactivity.

## Examples

- My skin feels itchy after walking through the tall grass.
- The new wool sweater was so itchy that I had to take it off after only five minutes.
- Patients often report that the rash becomes increasingly itchy during the night, leading to significant sleep disruption and secondary skin irritation from scratching.

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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.