as in to flap
to move from side to side or up and down with quick jerky motions
the rabbit waggled its ears and hopped away
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of waggle
Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Apr. 2023
The younger Yaz’s pre-swing bat waggle was the topic, hitting coach Justin Viele said.
—Susan Slusser, San Francisco Chronicle, 22 Mar. 2023
Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 24 Dec. 2024
For many, this is the last image of that player with the waggling hips, at the top of the world, and unburdened by football’s brutality.
—Jacob Whitehead, The Athletic, 30 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for waggle
Noun
The silence of the forest might be interrupted with a siren salute from a passing law enforcement helicopter, or a wing waggle from firefighting aircraft passing en route to a fire.
—Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Apr. 2023
The younger Yaz’s pre-swing bat waggle was the topic, hitting coach Justin Viele said.
—Susan Slusser, San Francisco Chronicle, 22 Mar. 2023
Verb
Millions of people watched the awards shows where Williams waggled his hips at Tom Jones, or challenged Oasis’ Liam Gallagher to a fist fight — moments that have been absorbed into pop culture.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 24 Dec. 2024
For many, this is the last image of that player with the waggling hips, at the top of the world, and unburdened by football’s brutality.
—Jacob Whitehead, The Athletic, 30 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for waggle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waggle
Noun
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The silk mousseline garments floated almost like ghosts or memories of Chanel designs past, including the famous skirt suit with its matching cardigan and Karl Lagerfeld modernisms like jeans with a tweed jacket, plus the iconic flap bag.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
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In 70 experiments conducted over a few days, Veronika applied the implement exclusively to hard-to-reach areas, like her rump, loin, thurl and navel flap.—
Leslie Katz,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Alijah Arenas switched between his forehand shot and backhand, flicking the plastic ball over the net to his opponent, former NBA star Brandon Jennings.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
20 Jan. 2026
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While the horses were flicking sand like fireworks.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
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That has, at least, spawned a rich stream of social media content, with wags across the world editing iconic cricket clips with the commentary coming before them.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
8 Jan. 2026
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The real dog sniffed Jennie and gave an approving tail wag.—
Rena Goldman,
EverydayHealth.com,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The bonito’s body twitched until Yamasaki slid a thin metal wire down the column of its spinal cord, a second step called shinkei jime, which arrests its nervous system.—
Hannah Goldfield,
New Yorker,
19 Jan. 2026
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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
Noun
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As Officers Gonzalez and Rodriguez approach the BMW, the CCTV footage switches to another angle that shows Zass emerging from his car with the weapon in his hand.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
1 Feb. 2026
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Warship switches to high-power radar during aircraft encounter The footage shows the Yanan’s crew moving quickly as potential aircraft are spotted approaching the warship.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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After the automatic front doors swing guests into the lobby, an ironwork chandelier, olive-green velour curtains, and a humming fireplace dress the Hotel Chelsea in a confidently maximalist wardrobe.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Jan. 2026
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Bend your knees slightly and swing the kettlebell back between your legs.—
RikkiLynn Shields Hannigan,
Health,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Each robot performs a tiny wiggle pattern to report information like temperature.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
28 Jan. 2026
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Not with pole plants or hippie wiggle turns, but with what is truly the most important part of skiing.—
Outside Online,
Outside Online,
24 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Knueppel came out hot and swished his first three shots beyond the arc and ended up tossing in 34 points, connecting on 10 of 16 attempts and going 8 for 12 from 3-point range.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Jan. 2026
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Fill a bowl or sink with water, add a drop of fabric softener, and swish it around.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
15 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Waggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waggle. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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