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squiggle

verb

ˈskwi-gəl How to pronounce squiggle (audio)
Definition of squigglenext
1
as in to twitch
to make jerky or restless movements a pediatrician's waiting room full of squiggling toddlers

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to scribble
to write or draw hastily or carelessly there are some illegible notes squiggled in the margins of the old book

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 squiggle The salamanders are still squiggling commas inside them. — Nathan Rott, NPR, 27 May 2026 The cake is gingery, light and moist, squiggled with thick cream cheese frosting. — Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 15 Sep. 2025 The six dancers in bright blues and greens (a seventh, originally Brown, appears at the beginning and the end) ripple and squiggle through space, intersecting and occasionally aligning, ricocheting and weaving. — Roslyn Sulcas, New York Times, 1 May 2025 Breaking water in the morning and shoulders squiggling free in the dark of evening. — Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 25 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for squiggle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squiggle
  1. twitch
  2. scribble
  3. fidget
  4. scrawl
  5. toss
  6. squirm
  7. jerk
  8. wiggle
Verb
  • This is not easy for Robin (Griffin), who, judging by his nervously twitching legs and tendency to info-dump on interlocutors, finds ordinary interactions very stressful.
    — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2026
  • When Karen goes to visit Hanneke in the hospital, Hanneke’s hand starts to twitch.
    — Kelly Allen, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of twitch
Verb
  • Barratt plays Tom Riddle, a former Hogwarts student who meets Harry in the form of a mysterious voice magically scribbling messages through an enchanted notebook.
    — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Looney Tunes reference scribbled in the geographic direction of Hollywood.
    — Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of scribble
Verb
  • Following this concern, 55% of parents said their top concern was their child’s ability to complete multistep tasks such as homework while 45% of parents cited fidgeting.
    — Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The current boom is driven by Gen Z’s openness about mental health, social-commerce virality on TikTok and Etsy, and a broader nervous-system regulation movement that treats fidgeting as a legitimate coping tool rather than a bad habit.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of fidget
Verb
  • Hate speech was also found scrawled on one of the weapons used in the attack, and a suicide note contained writings about racial pride, officials said.
    — Julianna Bragg, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Violet, named for the color of identifying crayon scrawled on her brow, is one of 250 to 500 patients the Marine Mammal Care Center rescues along the Los Angeles County coast every year.
    — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of scrawl
Verb
  • The arrival of a cadre of veteran playmakers tossed into the mix in Cincinnati was here and, consequently, the reason the Bengals won.
    — Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Legal issues in speech and removal from game Central to the dispute is whether the Sky had sufficient grounds to toss Kanter.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of toss
Verb
  • The kitten appears to be squirming in his alleged captor’s arms in surveillance footage of the incident, which Innab reviewed after Jabal’s disappearance.
    — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The man is seen swooping in, cradling Jabal, who seems to be squirming in the man's arms.
    — Andrew Ramos, CBS News, 13 Sep. 2026
Definition of squirm
Verb
  • And like any great sitcom, Friends runs the gamut from numbing brain-rot to tear-jerking sentimentality.
    — Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Even after a bailiff woke him up, Martin slumped over in his wheelchair, inside a courtroom bullpen, occasionally jerking and opening his eyes.
    — Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of jerk
Verb
  • Rodents can measure tight spaces, feel nearby walls, and map out their surroundings by quickly wiggling their whiskers.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Some of this year’s winners and honorable mentions included tiny jellyfish larvae swimming inside water droplets, a colorful sea slug wiggling along and many different forms of cells exploring their microscopic worlds.
    — Adrianne Morales, Washington Post, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of wiggle

Browse Nearby Words

squiffed
squiggle
squiggled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Squiggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squiggle. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

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