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

These stainless steel tips are handy for injecting fillings into waffle cones, cupcakes and doughnuts. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2026

At a restaurant that prides itself on being in harmony with the seasons, the jalapeno cornbread waffle is one of the only dishes at Restaurant Constance that’s constant. —Andre James, Charlotte Observer, 13 Apr. 2026

Verb

During that stretch, Davis has waffled between hopeless and hopeful on a weekly basis. —Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026

If the club waffles on what should be a tap-in decision to replace Foote, that would be a bad process indicator at the outset of this crucial offseason. —Thomas Drance, New York Times, 15 Apr. 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