waggle

verb

wag·gle | \ˈwa-gəl

waggled; waggling\ˈwa-g(ə-)liŋ

Definition of waggle

(Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

: to reel, sway, or move from side to side : wag

transitive verb

: to move frequently one way and the other : wag

waggle

noun

Definition of waggle (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : an instance of waggling : a jerky motion back and forth or up and down

2 : a preliminary swinging of a golf club head back and forth over the ball before the swing

Other Words from waggle Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about waggle

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Synonyms for waggle

Synonyms: Verb

swish, switch, wag

Synonyms: Noun

swish, switch, wag, whisk

Examples of waggle in a Sentence

Verb

He can waggle his ears. He can make his ears waggle.

Noun

a quick waggle of her head to indicate “no”

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The horizon waggled, the waves suddenly got higher. — Dan Neil, WSJ, "Skip the Seasickness: How Boats Are Getting More Tech-Savvy," 28 June 2018 Instead, the Let's Go games will ask players to waggle Joy-Con controllers to simulate a Pokéball throw after happening upon creatures in their travels. — Sam Machkovech, Ars Technica, "Pokémon’s first Switch game launches in November, connects to Pokémon Go," 30 May 2018 In addition, though dogs love to stick their heads out and waggle their tongues, keep the windows shut. — Andrea Sachs, chicagotribune.com, "Amid safety concerns, some pet owners embrace alternatives to flying," 30 Apr. 2018 When motion control is turned on in either Splatoon game, players must waggle their hands to control all vertical-axis aiming. — Sam Machkovech, Ars Technica, "Doom on Switch may have changed everything with new motion controls," 20 Feb. 2018 For instance, a study published last fall in PLOS Biology explored the reason that big brown bats waggle their heads like puppy dogs and curl the tips of their ears down. — Jason Bittel, Smithsonian, "This Echolocating Dormouse Could Reveal the Origins of One of Nature’s Coolest Superpowers," 23 Mar. 2017 A flock of young men in gingham hailed from The American Conservative; hip-looking Manhattanites slouched in their seats; Orthodox priests, wearing dark robes and heavy crosses, waggled their beards in groups. — Josh Rothman, The New Yorker, "Rod Dreher’s Monastic Vision," 21 Apr. 2017 The biggest action star in the world, Dwayne Johnson, known as the Rock, got his start as an eyebrow-waggling wrestler. — Jeremy Gordon, New York Times, "Magazine | Notebook," 27 May 2016 A three-year-old Glen of Imaal terrier named Emmett sat on his hindquarters and waggled his paws in the air for a treat. — Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker, "A Heavenly Respite at the Westminster Dog Show," 15 Feb. 2017

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Aside from dropping a bat waggle in between his setup and his swing, there have been no major or notable changes to his stance. — Jon Tayler, SI.com, "Why the Piping Hot Mookie Betts Is One of Baseball's Very Best Players," 8 May 2018 If there weren’t the V-8 for comparison, the V-6 would feel punchy enough, and in sport plus mode the rear-drive waggles under that combined 350 pound-feet of torque. — Robert Duffer, chicagotribune.com, "2018 Lexus LC500h review: How to neuter a sports car into a hybrid," 27 Mar. 2018 The right-handed-hitting Acuna has no extraneous movement, no bat waggle, no hip action. — Ray Glier, USA TODAY, "Minor League Player of the Year: Braves prospect Ronald Acuna improves at every level," 6 Sep. 2017 And considering the physical effort bees exert — from the waggle dance that communicates the location of a food source to the forceful beating of wings — Segura had a unique physicality to inform her choreography. — Marcia Manna, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Inspired by bees choreographer Lara Segura hopes to educate people about local colonies," 10 Aug. 2017 There might be a brief nod or a tiny waggle of fingers to an adoring spectator, but little else. — Sam Borden, New York Times, "England’s Andrew Johnston Is an Obscure Figure With an Unforgettable Presence," 16 July 2016 Beset by these seemingly involuntary waggles, as they were known, Garcia appeared fussy and nervous. — Ian Crouch, The New Yorker, "Sergio Garcia’s Triumph of Persistence," 10 Apr. 2017 Did Groucho’s eyebrow waggles and those brothers working in insane sync influence my dim view of Carmelo Anthony’s tendency to play isolation hoops? — Michael Powell, New York Times, "Phil Jackson’s Role for a Night: Film Critic," 11 Nov. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'waggle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.