How do you use "Antsy" in a sentence?

The kids are getting antsy—we should go. I'm antsy to hear back about the job. He gets antsy if he has to sit still too long. After two days stuck inside, everyone was antsy.

Antsy

Q: What does "Antsy" mean?

Restless, fidgety, or impatient Being antsy means you can't sit still—you're restless with impatience or nervous energy. Like ants crawling on you, you feel the need to move, to do something. It captures that fidgety, can't-wait feeling.

Slang Term AmericanAustralian ★★★★☆ Common Casual

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Meaning: Restless, fidgety, or impatient

坐立不安的、焦躁的或急躁的

Inquieto, nervioso o impaciente

落ち着かない、そわそわしている、せっかちな

안절부절못하는, 가만히 못 있는, 조급한

Being antsy means you can't sit still—you're restless with impatience or nervous energy. Like ants crawling on you, you feel the need to move, to do something. It captures that fidgety, can't-wait feeling.

坐立不安意味着你坐不住——因不耐烦或紧张的精力而焦躁。就像蚂蚁在身上爬一样，你感觉需要动、需要做点什么。表达那种坐立不安、迫不及待的感觉。

Estar 'antsy' significa que no puedes quedarte quieto—estás inquieto con impaciencia o energía nerviosa. Como hormigas caminando sobre ti, sientes la necesidad de moverte, de hacer algo. Captura esa sensación nerviosa de no poder esperar.

「Antsy」はじっとしていられないこと——焦りや緊張したエネルギーで落ち着かない状態です。体にアリが這っているように、動きたい、何かしたいという衝動があります。そわそわして待ちきれない感覚を表します。

antsy는 가만히 앉아 있지 못하는 상태—초조함이나 긴장 에너지로 인해 몸이 근질근질한 것을 뜻한다. 마치 개미가 몸 위를 기어다니는 것처럼 움직이고 싶고, 뭔가 해야 할 것 같은 느낌이다. 안절부절못하며 기다릴 수 없는 그 감각을 포착한 표현이다.

Examples

The kids are getting antsy—we should go.
孩子们坐不住了——我们该走了。
Los niños se están poniendo inquietos—deberíamos irnos.
子供たちがそわそわしてきた——そろそろ行こう。
아이들이 안절부절못하고 있어—슬슬 가자.
I'm antsy to hear back about the job.
我急着想知道工作的消息。
Estoy ansioso por saber del trabajo.
仕事の返事が来るのが待ちきれない。
취업 결과가 빨리 듣고 싶어서 조마조마해.
He gets antsy if he has to sit still too long.
他如果坐太久就会坐不住。
Se pone inquieto si tiene que estar quieto mucho tiempo.
長く座っていると落ち着かなくなる。
오래 앉아 있어야 하면 가만히 못 있어 해.
After two days stuck inside, everyone was antsy.
被困在屋里两天后，大家都很焦躁。
Después de dos días encerrados, todos estaban inquietos.
2日間閉じ込められて、みんなそわそわしてた。
이틀간 집에만 있으니까 다들 안절부절못했어.

Pronunciation

/ˈæntsi/

Usage Guide

Context: friends, family, general

Tone: impatient, fidgety

✓ Do Say

I'm getting antsy.
我开始焦躁了。
Me estoy poniendo inquieto.
そわそわしてきた。
점점 안절부절못하겠어.
The kids are antsy.
孩子们坐不住了。
Los niños están inquietos.
子供たちが落ち着かない。
아이들이 안절부절못해.
Don't get antsy.
别那么急。
No te pongas ansioso.
そわそわしないで。
조급해하지 마.

✗ Don't Say

Casual—use 'restless' or 'impatient' in formal contexts
口语化——正式场合用'restless'或'impatient'
Casual—usar 'inquieto' o 'impaciente' en contextos formales
カジュアル——フォーマルな場では「restless」や「impatient」を使う
캐주얼한 표현—격식 있는 상황에서는 'restless'나 'impatient'를 사용할 것

Common Mistakes

It's about restlessness, not anxiety (different from 'anxious')
British speakers may prefer 'restless' or 'fidgety'

Origin & History

American slang from the mid-20th century, based on the expression 'ants in your pants'—the idea of having ants crawling on you making you unable to sit still.

Etymology: From 'ants in your pants' (restless) shortened to 'antsy'

First recorded: American slang from the 1950s

Cultural Context

Era: 1950s onwards

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Pop culture: Common in American family sitcoms; Used in everyday American conversation

Regional notes: Very American. British speakers understand it but rarely use it.

Variations

Getting antsyA bit antsyAll antsy