Meaning

Nervous, apprehensive..

Definitions by Sense

1. Nervous, apprehensive.
2. (entertainment, advertising) Creatively challenging; cutting edge; leading edge.
3. (figurative) On the edge between acceptable and offensive; pushing the boundaries of good taste; risqué.
4. (dated) Irritable.
5. (art) Having some of the forms, such as drapery or the like, too sharply defined.
6. Sharp; having prominent edges.
7. (slang) Cool by virtue of being tough, dark, or badass.
8. (Internet slang) Exhibiting behavior that is disconcerting or alarming, sometimes in an effort to impress or to troll others.

Example Sentences

“A few college kids make edgy jokes in a group chat and conservatives are tripping over themselves to denounce and disavow and call for firings and resignations,” Matt Walsh, a right-wing commentator, posted on X.

an edgy temper

A sculptor's ideas must, I should guess, be somewhat rigid and inflexible, like the materials in which he works. Besides, Nollekens's style was comparatively hard and edgy.

Shasta tried to get out of the way and to make Bree go back. But […] a woman with a very edgy basket in her hands, who was just behind Shasta, pushed the basket hard against his shoulders, and said, "Now then! Who are you shoving!"

My bicep, my poor little cluster of nearly muscle is being pressed into a funsize turkey nugget and I’m starting to perhaps regret my outing with this bunch of Brentford fans who have that slightly edgier reputation.

His cool, somewhat edgy look is directed back at the photographer, as if she was too close, perhaps had seen too much.

This former aspiring rapper-turned author brings out the heartfelt emotion in his writing from an edgy street-life perspective that leaves the reader begging for more.

This is where the edgiest fashion happens (and where the major brands send their researchers and cool-hunters to sniff out the coming looks).

Word Forms

• edgier
• edgiest

Synonyms for edgy

Related Words

When Should You Use Edgy?

Use edgy when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

Practice This Word

Frequently Asked Questions