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

Her skirt is couture from Nike, aptly, named by its co-founders Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman for the Greek goddess of victory lo these many decades ago, after Bowerman figured out the whole waffle-sole thing by destroying his wife’s waffle iron in his kitchen. —Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026

Instead of the fast-food takeout in Arlington, this Fort Worth Atomic Wings adds a small bar area with a beer selection, happy hour deals and excellent munchies such as waffle fries with queso. —Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 June 2026

Verb

The now-familiar push-button ignition has waffled between feeling premium and mundane, which is all to say that there’s no perfect formula for a car’s control scheme. —Tc Sottek, The Verge, 27 May 2026

While the rest of the world waffles on decarbonization, today’s climate presents another opportunity to gain competitive advantage. —Justin Worland, Time, 22 May 2026

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