the jitters

plural noun

informal
: a very nervous feeling
I always get (a bad case of) the jitters before I have to give a speech.

Examples of the jitters in a Sentence

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Smooth and spicy with none of the jitters, the Church Hill Chai knocks the espresso martini off its pedestal. Aly Walansky, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025 Frank doesn’t like heights and Neil gets the jitters around big dogs. Marah Eakin, Vulture, 26 June 2025 The Democratic primary victor will likely head into the November general election as a strong favorite, although Trump’s strong performance last year has given the jitters to some Democrats. Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 10 June 2025 To avoid getting the jitters or experiencing that dreadful caffeine crash, stick to no more than four cups a day. Maria Berentzen, Vogue, 13 June 2025 Many have the jitters, but not Kennedy Thompson, a student from CityDance Conservatory in North Bethesda, Maryland. Melanie Stetson Freeman, Christian Science Monitor, 29 May 2025 Wednesday’s market relief in response to Trump’s Truth Social post indicates the President may have quelled some of the jitters of nervous traders but not those of CEOs. Time, 10 Apr. 2025 Frese credited that sluggish start two days ago to the jitters that come with the NCAA Tournament — most of her roster had never been here before. Taylor Lyons, Baltimore Sun, 25 Mar. 2025 But the jitters still shook him, a false-start whistle blowing on his first 40-yard attempt at February’s NFL combine. Luca Evans, Denver Post, 13 Apr. 2025

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“The jitters.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20jitters. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

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