toddle

verb

tod·​dle ˈtä-dᵊl 

toddled; toddling ˈtäd-liŋ 

ˈtä-dᵊl-iŋ

intransitive verb

1

: to walk with short tottering steps in the manner of a young child

2

: to take a stroll : saunter

toddle noun

Examples of toddle in a Sentence

The little boy toddled across the room.

I toddled off to the pub for a pint.

She toddled off to bed.

Recent Examples on the Web

Last month, the singer posted an adorable Instagram video of the siblings toddling down the street on the Fourth of July. —Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 7 Aug. 2023

They’re used to the spotlight, too: Each of them makes frequent appearances on the NWSL social media feeds, and are often seen toddling around the field after league games. —USA TODAY, 31 July 2023

Roughly three million years ago, tiny penguins toddled around New Zealand, according to a new study. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 July 2023

Or somewhere out on the shore of Lake Washington, where children toddle at the water’s edge. —USA Today, 26 June 2023

Why, then, do parents celebrate when their would-be toddler first begins to toddle? —David P. Barash, WSJ, 16 June 2021

And with 14 existing soundstage facilities within city limits, Chicago is no toddling town. —Brent Simon, Variety, 8 Mar. 2023

Over the course of 20 minutes, most of the chicks hesitantly toddled over to the end of the box with the upward-moving ball, confirming what scientists suspected: Even without any previous visual experiences, chicks are attracted to objects moving against gravity. —Teresa Nowakowski, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Mar. 2023

One little boy spent much of the evening toddling about, his eyes firmly fixed on the ever-changing images at his tiny feet. —Deborah Martin, San Antonio Express-News, 28 Feb. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

toddle

verb

tod·​dle ˈtäd-ᵊl 

toddled; toddling ˈtäd-liŋ 

-ᵊl-iŋ

: to walk with short unsteady steps like a young child

toddle noun