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
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 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
Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2026
The crimson tips of giant tube worms waggled in the current, tangling around clusters of mussels.
—Maya Wei-Haas, New York Times, 2 May 2025
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
Pointing at his own eyes, pointing at someone else’s eyes, whipping it left, whipping it right, waggling it to his lips.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2026
The crimson tips of giant tube worms waggled in the current, tangling around clusters of mussels.
—Maya Wei-Haas, New York Times, 2 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for waggle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waggle
Noun
-
In addition to protecting you from wind and cooler temperatures, Quince’s version is also water-repellent, has a storm flap for ventilation, and is packable enough to throw in a bag without adding excess weight or taking up too much space.—
Rachel Trujillo,
PEOPLE,
18 June 2026
-
In the mitt biz, this is broken down into the categories of mitten (looks like a large winter mitten); pincer, which has the thumb flap directly opposing the other fingers like a hand puppet (which is why they’re also called puppet mitts); and glove, which separates all five fingers.—
Adam Campbell-Schmitt,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
A little jump follows and the heel of your front foot flicks the ball into the air.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
-
The Americans were less cohesive without Pulisic in the second half, but Reyna still added the finishing touch by gliding into the box and toe-flicking home his first World Cup goal.—
Greg Beacham,
Chicago Tribune,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
Moreover, if Griffin stepped into public life now, the cynical wags in finance would declare the reason obvious—his hedge fund’s returns have been sagging.—
Gary Sernovitz,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
-
Messi seemed to scold La Familia at one point with a finger wag aimed in their direction, showing his displeasure with their protest.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Leon Stetson was allegedly twitching, so officers moved him away from Carrie Stetson and started to render medical aid.—
Kellie Love,
Hartford Courant,
12 June 2026
-
Durrell alternates between slapstick domestic high jinks, wanderings through the lush natural landscape, and increasingly ambitious investigations of biological life, from tracking twitching bacteria in pond water to the mating habits of insects.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
At the Garden, the team made a garish uniform color-scheme switch in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, from classic Knicks orange to maroon.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
14 June 2026
-
Whoever is asleep at the switch needs to be replaced for the law to stand a chance of being effective and for the buying process to flow smoothly, without unfair maneuverings.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
The pendulum never really swung away from maximizing shareholder value.—
Steve Denning,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
-
The turnover swung the momentum in Minnesota’s favor.—
Jordan Puente,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
Give it a wiggle and the rhinestones obligingly flip right-side up, ready to be picked up.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
19 May 2026
-
The bolt that holds the rack to the trailer hitch receiver gets nice and tight, eliminating the wiggle and clang-and-bang that an old hand-me-down rack tends to have.—
Andrew P. Collins,
The Drive,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
When the play ends, as Kris Jenkins bends over a bit at the waist to watch his work of art swish its way into history, Mikal Bridges dashes onto the court and Josh Hart full scale piggy backs onto Phil Booth.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
3 June 2026
-
In other words, avoid swishing seltzers in your mouth, drinking a lot of them or even sipping one throughout the day.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Waggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waggle. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
