jig 1 of 2

noun

ˈjig How to pronounce jig (audio)
Definition of jignext
as in ruse
a clever often underhanded means to achieve an end okay, buster, the jig is up

Synonyms & Similar Words

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jig

2 of 2

verb

as in to fidget
to make jerky or restless movements the mother could tell that her little boy had to use the bathroom because he was jigging

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of jig
Noun
Participants can check out power drills, jig saws, wrenches and pickaxes. — Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 3 Aug. 2026 By publishing interface dimensions for custom jigs and providing a software SDK, Morpho allows users and partners to design their own fixtures, create custom workflows, and extend the machine for new applications. — Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 20 July 2026
Verb
Notably, as Eric and Carol were chatting to Sara, BBC Studios was re-jigging its APAC division in order to bring Australia and Asia under one roof. — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 14 Nov. 2025 The fang gang present themselves as yearning European folk enthusiasts and later as jigging fiends and sometime metalheads. — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 22 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for jig
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jig
  1. ruse
  2. fidget
  3. scheme
  4. twitch
  5. trick
  6. jerk
  7. device
  8. toss
Noun
  • What about when Carole was hiding in the closet to try to overhear Luann calling her a pedophile, and Jules Wainstein kept trying to ruin her ruse?
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Last-ditch plan for prosecution Authorities next developed what Smallwood described as a last-ditch plan to prosecute Tanzer — a ruse that could catch him lying about the rape.
    — Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of ruse
Verb
  • Following this concern, 55% of parents said their top concern was their child’s ability to complete multistep tasks such as homework while 45% of parents cited fidgeting.
    — Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The current boom is driven by Gen Z’s openness about mental health, social-commerce virality on TikTok and Etsy, and a broader nervous-system regulation movement that treats fidgeting as a legitimate coping tool rather than a bad habit.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of fidget
Noun
  • Argentina’s citizen by investment scheme will offer numerous perks for travelers, including unlocking frictionless access to some of the most popular international destinations.
    — Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The administration’s language would establish a range of mandatory minimum sentences based on the amount of loss involved in fraud schemes, according to the document.
    — Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of scheme
Verb
  • During the test, Linton jerked and twitched in what prosecutors described as an attempt to fake a seizure.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • When a sensor detected the left or right forelimb moving, the hub sent a limb-specific pulse through the body that reached an implant on the corresponding hind leg, which stimulated the sciatic nerve and made that leg twitch.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of twitch
Noun
  • Kids can explore an inflatable corn maze, go trick-or-treating, face painting and more.
    — John Coffren, Baltimore Sun, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Beamer’s acumen in the game’s third phase comes from father, Hall of Famer Frank Beamer, whose Virginia Tech teams won games by blocking kicks and using trick plays.
    — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of trick
Verb
  • During the test, Linton jerked and twitched in what prosecutors described as an attempt to fake a seizure.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • And like any great sitcom, Friends runs the gamut from numbing brain-rot to tear-jerking sentimentality.
    — Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of jerk
Noun
  • Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’s latest startup Prometheus is using AI to assist engineers in the design and manufacturing of a range of devices—from computers to automobiles to jet engines.
    — Sam Forsdick, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
  • It is used in e-readers, electronic shelf labels, digital signage and an expanding range of low-power devices.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of device
Verb
  • Kingsolver followed Unsheltered with Demon Copperhead, a retelling of David Copperfield about an Appalachian orphan tossed around the foster system after losing his mother to an overdose.
    — Sam Worley, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Tarik Skubal tossed six dominant innings in triple-digit heat, Teoscar Hernández, Kyle Tucker and Max Muncy homered and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 5-3 in Game 1 of their NL Division Series on Saturday.
    — Beth Harris, Chicago Tribune, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of toss

Browse Nearby Words

jiffy
jig
jigged
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Cite this Entry

“Jig.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jig. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on jig

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about jig

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