as in lurched
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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Recent Examples of waddled
When temperatures dropped below 30 degrees this month, the penguins waddled to warmth by going to their indoor enclosure.
—
Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 31 Jan. 2026
Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 31 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waddled
Verb
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Since then, the larger culture has lurched rightward, with big corporations abandoning progressive signaling in favor of…other priorities.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
25 Mar. 2026
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Over the course of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s term, CPS has lurched from budget crisis to budget crisis, able only to muddle through due to record-breaking mayoral declarations of tax-increment-financing surpluses.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Hunt times are staggered according to age groups.—
Kaycee Sloan,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
1 Apr. 2026
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Plus, the Herro and Powell minutes likely will continue to be as staggered as when one started and one played in reserve, with Herro subbed out midway through Wednesday night’s first quarter.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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After the offense was shut out on four hits in Tuesday night’s 2-0 loss to the Angels, Counsell shuffled the lineup.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
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Instead, Meyerson was shuffled to three different ALFs in six months — from Hialeah to Kendall to Homestead.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
On the floor, waist-high piles of books tottered like miniature leaning towers of Pisa.—
The Christian Science Monitor,
Christian Science Monitor,
12 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Waddled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waddled. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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