as in to fidget
to make jerky or restless movements
the toddler squirmed the whole time we were in the waiting room
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as in squirming
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Recent Examples of squirm
Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025
Adjusting to Life with a Defender Four-wheel disc brakes also provide plenty of stopping power, though stomping on the brake pedal causes some squirming from the tail end due to the high center of gravity.
—Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024
Joseph Quinn, the terrific British actor from A Quiet Place: Day One and Gladiator 2 (and our next Johnny Storm in Fantastic Four: First Steps), spends the bulk of this picture squirming in torment, emitting ear-splitting noises from deep within the pits of hell.
—Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 28 Mar. 2025
The sixth episode of The White Lotus Season 3 has critics stunned—and in some cases, squirming—after a grim hour that pushed creator Mike White's pitch-black satire to new depths.
—Kevin Sabet, Newsweek, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for squirm
Verb
Its marketing releases are their own events in and of themselves, and Take-Two probably does not care at all about making its competitors squirm by not offering a specific release date (meant to be this fall).
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025
Adjusting to Life with a Defender Four-wheel disc brakes also provide plenty of stopping power, though stomping on the brake pedal causes some squirming from the tail end due to the high center of gravity.
—Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024
Joseph Quinn, the terrific British actor from A Quiet Place: Day One and Gladiator 2 (and our next Johnny Storm in Fantastic Four: First Steps), spends the bulk of this picture squirming in torment, emitting ear-splitting noises from deep within the pits of hell.
—Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 28 Mar. 2025
The sixth episode of The White Lotus Season 3 has critics stunned—and in some cases, squirming—after a grim hour that pushed creator Mike White's pitch-black satire to new depths.
—Kevin Sabet, Newsweek, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for squirm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squirm
Verb
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In this puzzle, the fiddle is not the musical instrument, but a type of fidgeting.—
Deb Amlen,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2025
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Sitting with his defense team in Judge Arun Subramanian’s lower Manhattan courtroom, a steely eyed and fidgeting Combs Friday morning listened as the ‘Me & U’ singer resumed her testimony under questioning from attorney Anna Estevao.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
16 May 2025
Verb
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The early symptoms include muscle weakness, cramps, twitching, stiff muscles, speech challenges, trouble swallowing, and drooling.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 June 2025
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Camouflaged among desert rocks, the deadly illusionist extends its spider-like tail into the open and twitches it to summon hungry insect-eating birds.—
Ryley Graham,
Smithsonian Magazine,
29 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Another tossed a traffic cone into the vehicle’s windshield, damaging it.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
5 June 2025
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Winner: Lenovo Legion Go S Tech Specs: Upscaling Is the Secret Sauce Gaming handhelds have to do it all—support the latest and greatest games while maintaining a form factor that can be tossed into your bookbag.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
5 June 2025
Verb
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More often than not, the jerking movements to get free only bring the meal into contact with more points of sticky contact.—
Riley Black,
Smithsonian Magazine,
6 June 2025
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Then stage two involves jerking movement, spasms, loss of vision, dementia, and seizures.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
5 May 2025
Verb
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Baugh’s cutting ability and wiggle at 6-foot ¾, 230 pounds are rare.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 June 2025
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One wiggled his dentures while cradling lead sinkers in his mouth.—
Jacqueline Carr,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 June 2025
Noun
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Life’s hard enough, and if facial fiddling is music to your ears, have at it.—
Valerie Monroe,
Allure,
21 Feb. 2025
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The fiddling pays off when the fresh herb vinaigrette dresses a mix of Iceberg lettuce and one of the mixed greens combos sold in the marketplace.—
Cathy Thomas,
Orange County Register,
13 Jan. 2025
Verb
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In a world of neon, glitter and stiletto boots, Cyrus writhes against walls and struts down sidewalks, notably the Hollywood Walk of Fame.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
8 June 2025
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Even in the shade of a fruit tree, you could be surrounded by tiny skyscrapers — not made of steel or concrete, but of microscopic worms wriggling and writhing into the shape of long, vertical towers.—
Kameryn Griesser,
CNN Money,
5 June 2025
Verb
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Your muscles get tense, your hands are sweaty, your voice starts trembling.—
Aliza Knox,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2025
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The nightmares returned after the shooting As Canty sat trembling for three hours in her professor’s podcasting studio at FSU, she was surrounded by friends, classmates and strangers who had been smashed together by the chaotic terror.—
Don Riddell,
CNN Money,
23 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Squirm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squirm. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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