Synonyms of wriggle

wriggle

verb

ˈri-gəl 

1

as in to squirm

to make jerky or restless movements

a toddler wriggling in his seat all throughout the church service

Synonyms & Similar Words

• squirm
• twitch
• toss
• fidget
• wiggle
• jerk
• writhe
• twist
• fiddle
• shiver
• tremble
• shake
• jiggle
• jig
• thresh
• thrash
• squiggle
• flit
• shudder
• flutter
• quiver
• quake
• pace
• twitter

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• relax
• rest
• unwind
• calm (down)
• still

2

as in to crawl

to move slowly with the body close to the ground

a worm slowly wriggled across the sidewalk

Synonyms & Similar Words

• crawl
• creep
• snake
• slide
• slither
• worm
• grovel
• tiptoe
• crouch
• sneak
• belly
• squat
• steal
• edge
• inch
• nose
• skulk

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• worm
• sneak
• infiltrate
• insert
• slip
• work in
• wind
• introduce
• wiggle
• insinuate
• creep
• edge
• interpose
• interpolate

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of wriggle

Touching infested water, even just a splash, can risk infection, as microscopic larvae swimming along the surface are able to wriggle through skin. — William McCarthy, NPR, 4 July 2026

Wrapped in red, white and blue, and with fine-grain sand wedged between his wriggling toes, Edward didn’t want the night to end. — Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 3 July 2026

Countless individual tread blocks, divided by wide grooves, wriggled around instead of digging in. — Michael Harley, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

For his part, Sherman, a long-time champion of wriggling remedies, cheered the clearance as a step forward for MDT generally. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 17 June 2026