as in to fidget
to make jerky or restless movements
the baby wiggled in her sleep
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 wiggle
Alexandra Simon, CBS News, 31 Jan. 2026
Give the culprit a small spritz, let sit for a second, and then carefully wiggle the zipper back and forth while pulling up or down as needed.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 28 Jan. 2026
Jason Phillips, USA Today, 13 Nov. 2025
Dog with a ‘wiggle butt’ has spent nearly 300 days in shelter.
—Real-Time News Team, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wiggle
Verb
Family says Ramesses underwent 42 surgeries after the crash, but can now wiggle his toes and fingers and was able to talk to his mom for the first time in six months.
—Alexandra Simon, CBS News, 31 Jan. 2026
Give the culprit a small spritz, let sit for a second, and then carefully wiggle the zipper back and forth while pulling up or down as needed.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 28 Jan. 2026
Noun
FanttikRide’s collection of electric wiggle cars and scooters is designed to encourage physical activity and support the development of coordination and confidence through active play.
—Jason Phillips, USA Today, 13 Nov. 2025
Dog with a ‘wiggle butt’ has spent nearly 300 days in shelter.
—Real-Time News Team, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wiggle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wiggle
Verb
-
Saturday’s game is also being advertised an autism awareness night, offering earplugs, fidget toys and a sensory break area for fans who plan to attend.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Minimal but purposeful movement, avoiding fidgeting or excessive gestures, shows intention.—
Cheryl Robinson,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
This can be a minor steering wheel shake to feeling like the wheels are going to fall off the car.—
Michael V. Pettigano,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Clothing, pins, a new shake and a novelty popcorn bucket also will be available for the anniversary.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Baby Briana’s arms twitched and legs flopped against cold concrete.—
Jayme Fraser,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Through the scope, a polar bear twitched on the ice, 25 yards in front of me.—
Scott Haugen,
Outdoor Life,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
That base gets set with just enough gelatin to give it a jiggle yet not enough to resist a spoon.—
Jesse Szewczyk,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The center of the pie will rise, and there should be a slight jiggle to the filling.—
Kathryn Gregory,
Louisville Courier Journal,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Juana Rodriguez was bound for hours as her 3-year old son cried and squirmed, according to the ACLU lawsuit that was filed on behalf of three Latino families.—
Michael Kaplan,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The quarterly ritual when companies publicly measure themselves up against analyst estimates, squirm through conference calls, and brace for big after-hours stock moves.—
Alexei Oreskovic,
Fortune,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
But her movie piques our interest rather than grabbing us by the throat the way a good crime flick should.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The supermodel started her carousel with a flick of herself walking at the sporting event.—
Christina Perrier,
InStyle,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
This version of the Hawaiian snack — buttery and tossed with seaweed and sesame seeds — is adapted from food stylist Caroline Hwang’s recipe, which was passed to her from her friend, Corey Chow, former chef de cuisine at Per Se in New York, who adapted it from his mom.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Rather than tossing the sock into the trash, Baer finds a way to reuse it, adding it to her textile recycling pile.—
Sarah Lyon,
The Spruce,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Smarmy jerks can get obscenely wealthy in this country just by managing other people’s money.—
Gilad Edelman,
The Atlantic,
7 Feb. 2026
-
The food shies away from the typical — no crab rangoon here — for finger foods that harken to cuisines outside the South Pacific, like Jamaican style jerk shrimp skewers ($18) and salmon ceviche ($16).—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wiggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wiggle. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
