1
as in twitching
to make jerky or restless movements
a pediatrician's waiting room full of squiggling toddlers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
Nathan Rott, NPR, 27 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squiggling
Verb
-
Leon Stetson was allegedly twitching, so officers moved him away from Carrie Stetson and started to render medical aid.—
Kellie Love,
Hartford Courant,
12 June 2026
-
Durrell alternates between slapstick domestic high jinks, wanderings through the lush natural landscape, and increasingly ambitious investigations of biological life, from tracking twitching bacteria in pond water to the mating habits of insects.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Each time Yamamoto took the mound, his interpreter, Sonoda, sat on the dugout ledge, scribbling his own notes to help streamline Yamamoto’s process.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
13 June 2026
-
Behind them, Lauren Lloyd, 33, visiting from Nashville, sat earnestly scribbling on her wish tag, which was filled from edge to edge with neat script.—
Deborah Vankin,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
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
-
The player who was hit by the cart immediately grabbed his thigh and knee area while squirming in pain on the ground.—
Mark Harris OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Martín Pérez was on the mound for the home team, a soft-tossing veteran lefty who was pumping in 89-mph sinkers.—
Chad Bishop,
AJC.com,
20 June 2026
-
During the opening match of the World Cup last week, some Mexico fans were seen tossing sombreros in delight as their team defeated the Republic of South Africa 2-0, but the hats might come in handy for the rest of the tournament.—
Jacqueline Howard,
CNN Money,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
Although not all the novel’s major characters make it to the end of this uplifting yet tear-jerking work of historical fiction, Six-Thirty safely perseveres.—
Camille Perri,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
-
Avoid jerking the floss or aggressive movements; instead, use smooth, gentle motions.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Pekara said hospital surveillance footage captured him fidgeting under the blanket.—
Caroline Kubzansky,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
-
As the court moved to watch the KSTU-TV segment, Tyler Robinson appeared to begin fidgeting, with one of his hands moving and rubbing his fingers back and forth.—
Stepheny Price , Sarah Rumpf-Whitten , Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Rather than wringing and twisting it to remove the excess water, roll it up in a clean, dry towel and gently squeeze out the water.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
12 June 2026
-
From twisting a bright pink kerchief into a one-shoulder top to slinging another across her hips to create a slit up-to-there skirt, Li found pleasure in the trial-and-error process.—
Diana Tsui,
Footwear News,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
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
-
The first huddle of a summer Chiefs practice Thursday began with something of a trademark — the right-hand fingers of quarterback Patrick Mahomes wiggling in the air, requesting a play call.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Squiggling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squiggling. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
