restless

Word family

• restlessness
  nounB1
• restlessly
  adverbB2
• rest
  nounA1
• rest
  verbA2
• restful
  adjectiveB1
• restive
  adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

These words describe different degrees and flavours of not being able to stay calm. Restless is the broadest term — it covers both the physical urge to move and the mental feeling of dissatisfaction, often from boredom or impatience. Fidgety is narrower and more physical: a fidgety person makes small repeated movements (tapping a pen, shifting in the chair) but may not feel mentally troubled. Uneasy leans toward mental discomfort — a vague sense that something is wrong — without necessarily involving physical movement. Antsy is informal American English and combines impatience with nervous energy, like waiting for news you are anxious about. Agitated is the strongest word, suggesting visible distress, rapid movements, and emotional upset, not just restlessness. For example: 'The two-hour delay made the passengers restless, and a few fidgety travellers kept checking their watches.'

Common collocations

Etymology

Restless comes from Old English 'restleas,' a combination of 'rest' (rest, quiet, peace) and '-leas' (without, lacking). The word has kept its basic meaning of 'without rest' for over a thousand years. It was used in Old English both for sleeplessness and for ceaseless motion, much as it is today.