MEANING
To move in a small, sudden jerk, often involuntarily.
Use it for
Small signs of bodily disturbance; uncertain evidence of life; localized involuntary movementUse a tiny movement to interrupt apparent stillness.
Words that belong together
- twitching eyelid
- fingers twitch
- twitch at the corner
On the page
One finger twitched beneath the sheet.
The creature's lower lip twitched before its eyes opened.
He watched the severed tissue twitch in the dish.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- twitch / twitches
- Past tense
- twitched
- Past participle
- twitched
- Present participle
- twitching
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- twitch / twitches
- Present continuous
- am/is/are twitching
- Present perfect
- have/has twitched
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been twitching
- Past
- twitched
- Past continuous
- was/were twitching
- Past perfect
- had twitched
- Past perfect continuous
- had been twitching
- Future
- will twitch / twitches
- Future continuous
- will be twitching
- Future perfect
- will have twitched
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been twitching
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: horror. Local and brief; differs from a sustained spasm or whole-body convulsion. Also transitive for giving something a quick pull. Verb [base, third-person present, past, past participle, -ing]: twitch, twitches, twitched, twitched, twitching. Derived/related family (not inflections): twitchy (adjective).
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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