as in anxiety
a state of nervousness marked by sudden jerky movements
the edginess of the basketball players in the moments before the start of the tournament was apparent
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Recent Examples of edginess
To generate relevancy and influence, social-media algorithms demand spectacle, conflict, and edginess.
—
Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025
The raw hem adds a touch of edginess that’ll spice up even a pair of white sneakers.
—Rylee Johnston, PEOPLE, 14 Nov. 2025
Carpenter, eye-catching in a glittery fringe dress, couldn’t help but exude a certain edginess onstage at the Opry House, even if the 26-year-old left out some of her favorite swear words.
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 8 Oct. 2025
Borrowing from the flamboyance of the New Romantics, the edginess of punks and the melancholic themes in their music, goth makeup was dark, vampiric, and vaguely dangerous—an aesthetic music fans copied when gathering at goth haunts like the Batcave in London.
—Sophia Panych, Allure, 8 Oct. 2025
What these pants add to the look is a bit of edginess.
—Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 8 Aug. 2025
The shoe manages to feed her overall look’s edginess, while infusing a valuable touch of color, just like her shirt of choice.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for edginess
Noun
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Somehow, this new sensation emitted an awareness of the magnitude in which skateboarding would warp my life, which only ratcheted up the anxiety of blowing it.—
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The news this week that an ICE agent had shot and killed a woman in Minnesota heightened his anxiety.—
Noun
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Mia Goth’s dual roles add another layer of unease.—
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Political turmoil added to unease up North.—
Noun
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Meanwhile Syria remains scarred by years of conflict and nationals in Germany are looking on at the debate with mounting worry.—
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Leaders at big carmakers spelled out their worries in the latest round of earnings calls, saying that finding a replacement for Nexperia at scale in the short term will be difficult.—
Noun
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Though that part of the bit didn't quite land, Storrie followed Williams out to the podium, shaking profusely from nerves of attending their first Globes.—
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In this sense, these nerves behave in a very similar manner to biological pain responses.—
Noun
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Savard wasn’t solely to blame for the woes of the power play before that, but his dismissal seemed to release some tension.—
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Intraparty tensions among Republicans have been evident, with a number of prominent lawmakers announcing plans to retire.—
Noun
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The combination of green tea and L-theanine creates a calm alertness that supports mental clarity while reducing jitteriness.—
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Asthma treatments Some asthma medications open airways by relaxing muscles, but their side effects include jitteriness and restlessness, which are similar to caffeine’s.—
Noun
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Conference Board economist Dana Peterson noted these state indexes have a history of statistical jumpiness.—
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His jumpiness in the pocket, decision-making and lack of deep passes are a cause for concern, potentially.—
Noun
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Her singular blend of severity and skittishness is unrivalled in the poetry of her peers.—
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If Monday’s recovery can shake off the skittishness felt during Friday’s rough market reversal .—
Cite this Entry
“Edginess.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/edginess. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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