jigging

verb

present participle of jig
as in twitching
to make jerky or restless movements the mother could tell that her little boy had to use the bathroom because he was jigging

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of jigging The customers lined the rails, shoulder to shoulder, all jigging in unison to the classic rock that was blasting from the radio. — Matthew Every, Outdoor Life, 8 July 2026 Targeting inefficiencies in squid jigging Industrial squid fishing typically relies on a method known as jigging. — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 20 June 2026 Notably, as Eric and Carol were chatting to Sara, BBC Studios was re-jigging its APAC division in order to bring Australia and Asia under one roof. — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 14 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for jigging
  1. twitching
  2. fidgeting
  3. tossing
  4. squirming
  5. jerking
  6. fiddling
  7. wiggling
  8. twisting
Verb
  • Green said his symptoms began when his feet started twitching in his sleep.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 July 2026
  • Somewhere, John Tortorella's eye is twitching with rage after that.
    — Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 July 2026
Definition of twitching
Verb
  • At about 45 minutes in, guests were looking at their phones and fidgeting in their seats.
    — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 25 July 2026
  • Pekara said hospital surveillance footage captured him fidgeting under the blanket.
    — Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
Definition of fidgeting
Verb
  • So even in a 3-3 game in the sixth inning on the road against a division rival, the Braves had to turn to Thomas, a soft-tossing 28-year-old pitching in just his fourth MLB game.
    — Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 28 July 2026
  • Instead, Meier advises tossing your trash in the correct cans provided.
    — Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 27 July 2026
Definition of tossing
Verb
  • With the contact patch sliding and squirming, the brakes had less to work with—and the car took just enough extra distance to end in an impact.
    — Michael Harley, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • Unless your companion could use a hand or is traveling with young kids (in the latter case, if this person also happens to be your spouse or partner, really not cool to leave them with the stroller, diaper bag, squirming kids).
    — CNT Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
Definition of squirming
Verb
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also advises against twisting or jerking the tick.
    — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 15 July 2026
  • Watching their relationship devolve (never more so than when their sperm donor, a rakish, motorcycle-driving restaurant owner played by Mark Ruffalo, enters the scene) is most definitely a tear-jerking experience, as is the film’s final scene.
    — Liam Hess, Vogue, 28 June 2026
Definition of jerking
Verb
  • The original Rowdy Rooster, a slim storefront on a scrappy East Village block, closed earlier this year, menu fiddling notwithstanding.
    — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 19 July 2026
  • The Fed's influence on credit and the economy is minimal; credit is produced by real-world productivity, not central bank fiddling.
    — John Tamny, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of fiddling
Verb
  • Getting both aligned so the cover properly locked took some wiggling on my part.
    — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 9 July 2026
  • Pull Gently Once the soil is broken up, use your hands to grab the carrots where the greens meet the root, and pull straight up while wiggling slightly.
    — Aviva Patz, Martha Stewart, 16 June 2026
Definition of wiggling
Verb
  • The government is twisting a 60-year-old deal to take control of my land.
    — Cody Peterson, Washington Post, 29 July 2026
  • As Smith read Colt’s writings, the teenager remained expressionless, sometimes gently rocking and twisting in his chair.
    — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 27 July 2026
Definition of twisting

Browse Nearby Words

jiggery-pokery
jigging
jiggle
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Jigging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/jigging. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on jigging

Nglish: Translation of jigging for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of élan

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All