wriggle

Definition of wrigglenext
1
as in to squirm
to make jerky or restless movements a toddler wriggling in his seat all throughout the church service

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2
as in to crawl
to move slowly with the body close to the ground a worm slowly wriggled across the sidewalk

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3
as in to worm
to introduce in a gradual, secret, or clever way within a month of his arrival, this social upstart had wriggled himself into the family's good graces

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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 wriggle In possession, Sadiki is a balanced ball-carrier who can wriggle past challenges and play quick passes to keep possession ticking. Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 5 June 2026 The technology was largely depicted as a portal to the future, a tonic for the ailing Los Angeles production sector, and a way to finally wriggle free from the bonds of antiquated studio protocols. Dade Hayes, Deadline, 31 May 2026 The town is home to the world's largest snake pits, where tens of thousands of non-venomous red-sided garter snakes emerge each spring to wriggle over one another. Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026 Piles of wriggling janitor fish filled red barrels along the reservoir — tangible proof that something, at last, was being done. ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wriggle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wriggle
Verb
  • With the contact patch sliding and squirming, the brakes had less to work with—and the car took just enough extra distance to end in an impact.
    Michael Harley, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • Unless your companion could use a hand or is traveling with young kids (in the latter case, if this person also happens to be your spouse or partner, really not cool to leave them with the stroller, diaper bag, squirming kids).
    CNT Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
Verb
  • Seltz’s system crawls hundreds of millions of pages a day, and returns results in under 200 milliseconds.
    Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 24 June 2026
  • The animal eventually crawled under a dock.
    Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • Heath hoped that the agent could worm his way even deeper into Red44.
    Keith O’Brien, New Yorker, 25 June 2026
  • The flea larvae, which look like tiny maggots, worm their way into the carpet or mattress, feeding on the flea dirt that their parents left behind, says Benson.
    Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 28 May 2026
Verb
  • There is something cultish about that idea — the player who tends not to start but has the knack to appear later on with antennae twitching, ready to seize the day and alter the course of a match.
    Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 21 June 2026
  • 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
Verb
  • As our conversation extends into the hour mark, her hood creeps upward along the side of her face most visible to those around us.
    José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 23 June 2026
  • For my microgeneration, the disillusionment crept in with the savage failure of the Iraq War.
    Christopher Hooks, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • Koorimannil managed to sneak out a screenshot from his computer that AP and security nonprofit C4ADS used to identify the key to his productivity — a software platform called Kongtian Intelligent Customer Acquisition, or KT for short.
    ABC News, ABC News, 30 June 2026
  • In just its fourth World Cup appearance, Norway has the chance to sneak into the Round of 16 for the third time.
    Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 June 2026
Verb
  • However, first base umpire Todd Tichenor tossed the agitated second baseman after Chisholm spiked his helmet toward home plate.
    Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 29 June 2026
  • Marlins starter Ryan Gusto tossed 3 1/3 scoreless innings before giving way to John King (6-1), who threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings against his former team.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 28 June 2026
Verb
  • Note a new parade route this year, starting at the corner of 12th Avenue and North 3rd Street and snaking down 5th Avenue toward South 8th Street.
    Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 24 June 2026
  • Today, the two bands have announced the Bitch Cabal Tour, a co-headlining run snaking its way across the American Midwest and South this fall.
    Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 23 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Wriggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wriggle. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.

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