as in fidgets
to make jerky or restless movements
the toddler squirmed the whole time we were in the waiting room
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Recent Examples of squirms
Lincee Ray Published, EW.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
When Brian and Murtagh report that Dougal offended the Grants and Colum had to promise Ellen’s hand to appease the situation, Lord Lovat squirms.
—Lincee Ray Published, EW.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squirms
Verb
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The man fidgets, shifts around in his seat and fixates on Zarutska before pulling out a small knife and striking her multiple times around her neck.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Macfadyen tosses Dirty Rotten Scoundrels into the stew of influences.—
Sarah Rodman,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Mar. 2026
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Lindell eventually accepts the documents, tosses them aside, and continues his interview with O’Keefe Media Group reporter Michael Casey.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Persistent muscle twitches Everyone’s muscles twitch from time to time, usually at various locations.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
15 Jan. 2026
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Some devices, for example, track eye movements or other small muscle twitches to let users select words from a screen.—
Emma R. Hasson,
Scientific American,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
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In a viral video of the aftermath, the robot jerks back and forth to shake the glass off, showering yet more dangerous shards onto the sidewalk.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
26 Mar. 2026
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Ross’s video does not show if the SUV made contact with him, as the camera angle jerks up to the sky.—
Danya Gainor,
CNN Money,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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For many strategists, the recent slump reflects short-term dislocations rather than any shift in gold's underlying fundamentals.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
24 Mar. 2026
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So, bruises, scrapes, fractures, and dislocations.—
Lauren Linder,
CBS News,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Buttermilk the cow is an interactive toy that sings, wiggles its ears, and teaches little ones animal sounds.—
Anja Webb,
Parents,
28 Nov. 2025
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His body wiggles with excitement, signaling his tail is wagging.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Aug. 2025
Noun
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In February, Tobolowsky heard an hour of arguments before denying the motions to dismiss that were filed by two Gateway elders, according to the Texas Lawbook.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 Apr. 2026
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In mid-March, top Immigration and Customs Enforcement legal officials told field attorneys with the Department of Homeland Security in an email to stop filing new motions for third-country deportations tied to asylum cases.—
Molly A. Wallace,
Fortune,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The truth risks bringing down the whole edifice, which is why the system writhes to hide who takes decisions large and small.—
Azadeh Moaveni,
Time,
3 Feb. 2026
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The congregation writhes, sometimes in unison, and whirls and stomps; at one point, a line of folks snake through a doorway and into the foreground, as the camera rotates in the opposite direction.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
26 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Squirms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squirms. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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