SQUIGGLING Synonyms: 42 Similar and Opposite Words

squiggling

verb

present participle of squiggle

as in twitching

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

as in scribbling

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 squiggling The salamanders are still squiggling commas inside them. — Nathan Rott, NPR, 27 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for squiggling

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

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
With the bulk of his work at practice done for the day, Achord retreats to the back of the end zone with Koonz, squatting and scribbling something on paper.

— Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of scribbling

Verb

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
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

Definition of squirming

Verb

Tyler told her the procession put a smile on everyone’s face, particularly when the grandmothers abandoned the usual petal-tossing technique and began throwing flowers at the guests instead.

— Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2026
Dispose of medications and other products according to local guidelines, rather than tossing everything into the trash (which could be a serious safety and environmental hazard).

— Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of tossing

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 jerking

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 fidgeting

Verb

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
Cueto was known for hesitating while in his pitching motion, or wiggling on the mound.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of wiggling

Browse Nearby Words

squiggles

squiggling

squinch

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Style

“Squiggling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squiggling. Accessed 21 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of squiggling

verb

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