wiggle

verb wig·gle \ ˈwi-gəl \

Updated on: 16 Apr 2018

Definition of wiggle

wiggled; wiggling play \ˈwi-g(ə-)liŋ\

intransitive verb

1 : to move to and fro with quick jerky or shaking motions : jiggle

2 : to proceed with or as if with twisting and turning movements : wriggle

transitive verb

: to cause to wiggle

See wiggle defined for English-language learners

See wiggle defined for kids

Examples of wiggle in a Sentence

The puppy wiggled with excitement.
the baby wiggled in her sleep

Recent Examples of wiggle from the Web

Most nights, there simply won't be room for both, unless Thompson or Nance wiggles into the starting lineup -- something Lue seemed against Thursday.

— chris fedor, cleveland.com, "Cleveland Cavaliers will have to pick between Tristan Thompson and Larry Nance Jr.," 5 Apr. 2018
The Marlins wiggled out of trouble in the eighth inning thanks to some stellar defense.

— andre c. fernandez, miamiherald, "The Marlins went to extra innings again. This time one of their ex-players beat them | Miami Herald," 3 Apr. 2018
Merfeld kicked out his arms and legs, wiggling them in uncontrollable celebration.

— chris chase, For The Win, "The 15 best characters, memes and bawling adults from NCAA tournament history," 2 Apr. 2018
But Osorio wiggled out of the jam, as Jenny Schaper fouled out to left field to end the threat.

— rainer sabin, AL.com, "Alabama beats Kentucky, wins series over Wildcats," 1 Apr. 2018
Non-dentist volunteers lead waiting children in exercises — for instance, wiggling to show how dental floss should be moved between teeth — and have a dragon puppet with huge teeth for brushing practice.

— janet mcconnaughey, The Seattle Times, "Entertaining toothy lessons, checkups for underserved kids," 18 Feb. 2018
Once cooled, take each roll and wiggle it onto a stem.

— Fox News, "Chef Mark Bailey's Last-Minute Romantic Valentine's Day Dinner!," 14 Feb. 2018
Five other uses for chopsticks Tester: Check doneness of a big braising cut (such as pork shoulder or leg of lamb) by pushing chopstick into it in several places, wiggling it around, and assessing if the meat is yielding all the way to the bone.

— the bon appétit test kitchen, Bon Appetit, "14 Kitchen Tips Worth Memorizing," 22 Mar. 2018
Dirt tracks that wiggle across its sandy washes are testament to its popularity among off-road motorsports enthusiasts.

— louis sahagun, latimes.com, "By ordering new land-use plan, Trump could spark a fight in California deserts," 16 Mar. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of wiggle

Middle English wiglen, from or akin to Middle Dutch or Middle Low German wiggelen to totter; akin to Old English wegan to move — more at way

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

wiggle Synonyms

wiggle

noun

Definition of wiggle

1 : the act of wiggling

2 : shellfish or fish in cream sauce with peas

—

wiggly

play \ˈwi-g(ə-)lē\ adjective

Recent Examples of wiggle from the Web

Outlook: Stockton Lake Guide Service reports: crappie good on jigs and minnows; bass very good on wiggle warts on bluff ends and A-Rigs on main lake points; white bass good up the rivers on jigs; walleye slow or no reports.

— tyler mahoney special to the star tyler mahoney,, kansascity, "Fishing report: Things have been slow because of weather | The Kansas City Star," 11 Apr. 2018
Eighteen-wheelers suddenly come down with the wiggles, like segmented caterpillar pull toys.

— rachel aviv, The New Yorker, "Black Ice, Near-Death, and Transcendence on I-91," 2 Apr. 2018
Armed with a camera and a lifelike wiggle, the device could one day help biologists monitor the health of marine habitats without stressing out their aquatic denizens.

— National Geographic, "This Wiggly Fish Is the Most Advanced Robot of Its Kind," 21 Mar. 2018
Since the record is still short, a small wiggle of natural variability can have a significant impact on seeing the subtle acceleration.

— scott k. johnson, Ars Technica, "Yes, sea level rise really is accelerating," 13 Feb. 2018
Little wiggles in the rain/snow line could have big impacts on how much snowfall is ultimately realized.

— matthew cappucci, Washington Post, "Northeast to face a second nasty nor’easter in five days," 5 Mar. 2018
This inaugural competition pits shelter dogs against one another in categories like snoring, couch potato and wiggle butt.

— sara aridi, New York Times, "What’s on TV Monday: ‘Tell Them We Are Rising’ and ‘The Dog’," 19 Feb. 2018
The competition features shelter dogs vying for best in rescue and competing in such whimsical categories as best couch potato, wiggle butt and underbite.

— USA TODAY, "Week in entertainment: Miguel on tour; 'Seven Seconds' premieres on Netflix," 17 Feb. 2018
Each woman, no matter her size, deserves a pair of leggings that are durable enough for every wiggle and stretch.

— nora whelan, SELF, "8 Plus-Size Leggings That Curvy Athletes Love," 19 Feb. 2018

First Known Use of wiggle

1816

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

WIGGLE Defined for English Language Learners

wiggle

verb

Definition of wiggle for English Language Learners

: to move up and down or from side to side with short quick motions

WIGGLE Defined for Kids

wiggle

verb wig·gle \ ˈwi-gəl \

Definition of wiggle for Students

wiggled; wiggling

1 : to move up and down or from side to side with quick short motions

She wiggled her toes.

2 : to proceed with twisting and turning movements

It was an awful tangled mess, but … there was room for him to wiggle through …
—Gary Paulsen, Hatchet

wiggle

noun

Definition of wiggle for Students

: a twisting turning motion

Learn More about wiggle

See words that rhyme with wiggle Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for wiggle Spanish Central: Translation of wiggle Nglish: Translation of wiggle for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of wiggle for Arabic speakers

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wiggle

Definition of wiggle

Examples of wiggle in a Sentence

Recent Examples of wiggle from the Web

Origin and Etymology of wiggle

wiggle Synonyms

Synonyms

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wiggle

Definition of wiggle

wiggly

Recent Examples of wiggle from the Web

First Known Use of wiggle

WIGGLE Defined for English Language Learners

wiggle

Definition of wiggle for English Language Learners

WIGGLE Defined for Kids

wiggle

Definition of wiggle for Students

wiggle

Definition of wiggle for Students

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