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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of waddle
The Quiet Tragedy of the Bottle-Fed Fawn Imprinting is one of those words people toss around casually, usually attached to baby ducks waddling after a researcher.
—
Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026
The furry white marsupials, which waddle back into remote areas — places where humans would not otherwise set foot — are almost like spies penetrating the secret lives of pythons.
—Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2026
Think penguins waddling back to the same partner each breeding season.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 13 Apr. 2026
Minions & Monsters will waddle into theaters on July 1.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for waddle
Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026
The furry white marsupials, which waddle back into remote areas — places where humans would not otherwise set foot — are almost like spies penetrating the secret lives of pythons.
—Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2026
Think penguins waddling back to the same partner each breeding season.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 13 Apr. 2026
Minions & Monsters will waddle into theaters on July 1.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for waddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waddle
Verb
-
Space the shrubs a little further apart, then stagger them so the back row screens your view.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
16 May 2026
-
The Chiefs staggered throughout the campaign and looked like a husk of their usual, dominant selves.—
Tim Graham,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Verb
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So between those two things, the balance of gerrymanders has lurched pretty abruptly toward the right.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
-
Meanwhile, federal policy has lurched in opposite directions.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Rasmus Dahlin scored 32 seconds into the game on a nifty backhand after weaving through Montreal’s zone.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
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Sarah George is the pastry chef at The Palmerston—a beloved Edinburgh restaurant—who seamlessly weaves whisky into classic recipes.—
Carinne Geil Botta,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
Verb
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Models are tottering on the cobblestoned Bond Street with their heels getting stuck in the rivets.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
13 Feb. 2026
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Now, even that tiny effort is tottering.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Women in America’s boardrooms made strides as corporations shuffled their mostly White and male lineups in the face of the historic pushback in 2020.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
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Tall soldiers in bearskin caps shuffled a few inches to the left, or right, to give the parade its proper visual proportions.—
Sam Knight,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Waddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waddle. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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