Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Nervous, anxious, or easily startled: Describes a person or animal that is in a tense state, prone to sudden movements or reactions due to fear or anxiety.
   • Characterized by sudden jolts or irregular movements: Describes a ride, motion, or sequence that is not smooth, causing abrupt, bumpy movements.

Usage Examples

• Describing a person's state:
  • The loud noise made the jumpy cat hide under the bed.
  • She felt jumpy before her important presentation.
• Describing a type of movement or ride:
  • The old truck provided a very jumpy ride over the dirt road.
  • The film's jumpy editing made it hard to follow.

Advanced Usage

• "to be jumpy about something": to be nervous or anxious about a specific thing.
  • Investors are jumpy about the latest economic reports.
• "to make someone jumpy": to cause someone to become nervous or anxious.
  • The constant security alerts are making everyone jumpy.

Variants and Related Words

• Jumpily (adverb): in a nervous or jolting manner.
  • He glanced jumpily over his shoulder.
• Jumpiness (noun): the state or quality of being jumpy.
  • A cup of coffee only increased her jumpiness.

Synonyms

• Nervous: easily agitated or alarmed.
• Jittery: experiencing nervous tension.
• Edgy: tense, nervous, or irritable.
• Bumpy: having a rough, jolting motion.

Antonyms

• Calm: not showing or feeling nervousness, anger, or other strong emotions.
• Relaxed: free from tension and anxiety.
• Smooth: having an even and regular surface or consistency; free from jolts.

Related Idioms

• On edge: tense, nervous, or irritable. (Similar in meaning to 'jumpy' when describing a person's state).
  • The waiting had everyone on edge.

Adjective

1. causing or characterized by jolts and irregular movements
   • a rough ride
2. being in a tense state