wriggle out of
phrasal verb
wriggled out of; wriggling out of; wriggles out of
informal + often disapproving
: to avoid doing (something that one does not want to do) in some clever or dishonest way
She tried to wriggle out of the contract.
Don't let him wriggle out of paying you for your work.
Examples of wriggle out of in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This is a classic example of diffusion of responsibility, where leaders can wriggle out of being held accountable by pointing the finger elsewhere.
—
Melissa A. Wheeler, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
Greg Weissert, who made his own Red Sox debut against the Mariners during the ‘24 season-opening series in Seattle, wriggled out of his own jam in the eighth.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 17 June 2025
A great deal of what makes each episode so satisfying is watching Elsbeth and Kaya outwit people who assume that murder charges will be simple to wriggle out of with the application of their overwhelming wealth and influence.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 2 May 2025
So now, even the bankers are wriggling out of Carney’s globalist climate straitjacket.
—Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 26 Apr. 2025
Few things are as humbling as struggling to wriggle out of a sweaty one post-workout.
—Boutayna Chokrane, Wired News, 19 Apr. 2025
Historically, he’s managed to wriggle out of trouble.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2025
Adams' critics say his collaboration is part of an effort to wriggle out of federal corruption charges, though the mayor called on city lawmakers to allow New York police to work more with ICE even before Trump was elected.
—arkansasonline.com, 6 Mar. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Melissa A. Wheeler, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
Greg Weissert, who made his own Red Sox debut against the Mariners during the ‘24 season-opening series in Seattle, wriggled out of his own jam in the eighth.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 17 June 2025
A great deal of what makes each episode so satisfying is watching Elsbeth and Kaya outwit people who assume that murder charges will be simple to wriggle out of with the application of their overwhelming wealth and influence.
—Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 2 May 2025
So now, even the bankers are wriggling out of Carney’s globalist climate straitjacket.
—Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 26 Apr. 2025
Few things are as humbling as struggling to wriggle out of a sweaty one post-workout.
—Boutayna Chokrane, Wired News, 19 Apr. 2025
Historically, he’s managed to wriggle out of trouble.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2025
Adams' critics say his collaboration is part of an effort to wriggle out of federal corruption charges, though the mayor called on city lawmakers to allow New York police to work more with ICE even before Trump was elected.
—arkansasonline.com, 6 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wriggle out of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wriggle%20out%20of. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share