as in to stagger
to move forward while swaying from side to side
the duck waddled back into the water we watched the penguins waddle over the ice together
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 waddle
If everything goes to plan at this point and Donald Trump doesn’t waddle in with a pardon, Judge Subramanian will miraculously be keeping his promise to the jurors to have the case concluded before the July 4 holiday.
—
Dominic Patten, Deadline, 24 June 2025
Videos show a chunky bear waddling along past a trail camera and another big bear gorging on grass in a field.
—Brooke Baitinger, Sacbee.com, 29 May 2025
The day a group of us sat down in the snow and watched as hundreds of Adelie penguins waddled from one end of the snowy beach to another.
—Aislyn Greene, AFAR Media, 8 Jan. 2025
The alligator responded by waddling about 250 feet deeper into the pipe, in search of deeper water.
—Mark Price, Miami Herald, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for waddle
Dominic Patten, Deadline, 24 June 2025
Videos show a chunky bear waddling along past a trail camera and another big bear gorging on grass in a field.
—Brooke Baitinger, Sacbee.com, 29 May 2025
The day a group of us sat down in the snow and watched as hundreds of Adelie penguins waddled from one end of the snowy beach to another.
—Aislyn Greene, AFAR Media, 8 Jan. 2025
The alligator responded by waddling about 250 feet deeper into the pipe, in search of deeper water.
—Mark Price, Miami Herald, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for waddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waddle
Verb
-
According to the terms of the proposal, the release of the 10 living hostages and 15 bodies will be staggered over the 60-day period the temporary ceasefire is in effect.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 July 2025
-
The victim staggered up to the mezzanine before collapsing at a turnstile, according to an MTA worker.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
3 July 2025
Verb
-
But that’s not enough opposition to stop CPS from lurching substantially further toward insolvency if Harden and interim school Superintendent Macquline King choose that route.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
25 July 2025
-
Like Germany after the defeat of Hitler, Argentina lurched back and forth between judging its past crimes and trying to move beyond them.—
Julia M. Klein,
The Atlantic,
11 July 2025
Verb
-
Gran Sasso National Park has trails that weave through medieval villages, crumbling castles, and valleys where wild horses still roam.—
Travel + Leisure Editors,
Travel + Leisure,
23 July 2025
-
These are pre-shrunk and woven from long-staple fibers for buttery softness.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
22 July 2025
Verb
-
As Joe Biden tottered and fell (literally as well as metaphorically), more than a few pundits compared him to Lear, a man who was ruined by age, pride, and the flattery of sycophants.—
Tyler Austin Harper,
The Atlantic,
16 May 2025
-
Dina Tomczak, the school’s athletic director, tottered into her office having barely slept.—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
Verb
-
Fuller has pushed back on these claims by sharing the app's source code for shuffling and dealing virtual cards.—
Andrew Montequin,
jsonline.com,
29 July 2025
-
Short, shuffling steps often prevent your glutes from firing properly.—
Dana Santas,
CNN Money,
24 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Waddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waddle. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share