waffle

1 of 3

noun (1)

waf·​fle ˈwä-fəl 

ˈwȯ-

: a crisp cake of batter baked in a waffle iron

waffle

2 of 3

verb

waffled; waffling ˈwä-f(ə-)liŋ 

ˈwȯ-

intransitive verb

1

: equivocate, vacillate

waffled on the important issues

also : yo-yo, flip-flop

2

: to talk or write foolishly : blather

… can waffle … tiresomely off the point …

—The Times Literary Supplement (London)

waffler

ˈwä-f(ə-)lər 

ˈwȯ-

noun

waffle

3 of 3

noun (2)

: empty or pretentious words : tripe

Synonyms of waffle

Verb

• weasel
• shake

Examples of waffle in a Sentence

Verb

she waffled when asked what she thought of her sister's new boyfriend

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Stir it into coffee or drizzle it over waffles and French toast. —Sonal Dutt, PEOPLE, 28 Nov. 2025

Pancake or Waffle Batter Use leftover egg wash for pancake or waffle batter, whisking it right in in the place of 1/2 or single egg. —Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 27 Nov. 2025

Verb

Place waffles on warm plates and top with turkey. —Tribune News Service, Boston Herald, 26 Nov. 2025

When the show first premiered, dressing as Eleven with a box of Eggo waffles under her arm was a top Halloween costume, and waffles have been featured in every season since. —Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Dutch wafel, from Middle Dutch wafele; akin to Old High German waba honeycomb, Old English wefan to weave

Verb

frequentative of obsolete woff to yelp, of imitative origin

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1744, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1868, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

circa 1888, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing waffle

• Belgian waffle
• waffle iron

Rhymes for waffle

• awful
• lawful
• offal
• unlawful

Kids Definition

waffle

1 of 2 noun

waf·​fle ˈwäf-əl 

ˈwȯf-

: a crisp cake with an indented crust made by cooking batter in a waffle iron

waffle

2 of 2 verb

waffled; waffling

1

: to be unable or unwilling to be clear about choices or opinions

also : to make a sudden reversal (as of policy)

2

British : to talk or write a lot without saying anything important