as in writhing
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as in fidgeting
to make jerky or restless movements
the toddler squirmed the whole time we were in the waiting room
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Recent Examples of squirming
Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 21 Dec. 2025
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
There is another issue, of course, squirming away in the soft flesh of maternity leave.
—Nell Frizzell, Vogue, 13 Jan. 2026
An annual tradition in the legal circle, as well as his UCLA symposium sit-downs, the hourlong speech from the predominantly softspoken Ziffren clearly had a few attendees squirming in their seats near the end.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2025
Hungry birds looking for dozens of squirming caterpillars a day to feed their young can easily find the insects on oak trees.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 29 Oct. 2025
Dripping with atmosphere, Grace Presse’s portrait of a woman haunted by a sleep paralysis demon was genuinely creepy — punctuated by one perverse scene that had the audience squirming in their seats.
—William Earl, Variety, 29 Oct. 2025
What happens next in the final minutes of The Vanishing will leave viewers squirming in their seats and hoping against hope for our vulnerable leading man.
—Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Oct. 2025
Still, Sabbath sounded amazing, the band’s distinctive vibe of limitless cosmic encumbrance, of Man squirming under the thumb of Fate, God, madness—the essential heavy-metal vision—somehow magnified by the venerable wobbliness of its playing.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
With net in hand, the future microbial geochemist dredged up seaweed and mud squirming with snails, crab larvae and other small invertebrates.
—Laura Poppick, Quanta Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
Noun
Jost proceeded to read them — as usual squirming while doing it.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 21 Dec. 2025
Verb
In the new iteration that would be Jack and his girlfriend Martha (Elle Fanning), whose introduction to the Taylors is one of many scenes played out with squirming discomfort.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
There is another issue, of course, squirming away in the soft flesh of maternity leave.
—Nell Frizzell, Vogue, 13 Jan. 2026
An annual tradition in the legal circle, as well as his UCLA symposium sit-downs, the hourlong speech from the predominantly softspoken Ziffren clearly had a few attendees squirming in their seats near the end.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2025
Hungry birds looking for dozens of squirming caterpillars a day to feed their young can easily find the insects on oak trees.
—Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 29 Oct. 2025
Dripping with atmosphere, Grace Presse’s portrait of a woman haunted by a sleep paralysis demon was genuinely creepy — punctuated by one perverse scene that had the audience squirming in their seats.
—William Earl, Variety, 29 Oct. 2025
What happens next in the final minutes of The Vanishing will leave viewers squirming in their seats and hoping against hope for our vulnerable leading man.
—Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Oct. 2025
Still, Sabbath sounded amazing, the band’s distinctive vibe of limitless cosmic encumbrance, of Man squirming under the thumb of Fate, God, madness—the essential heavy-metal vision—somehow magnified by the venerable wobbliness of its playing.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
With net in hand, the future microbial geochemist dredged up seaweed and mud squirming with snails, crab larvae and other small invertebrates.
—Laura Poppick, Quanta Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squirming
Noun
-
Throughout the writhing and the screaming, Julia’s fortitude wears down a defiant Davina, whose history with Lovat feeds the moment.—
Hunter Ingram,
Variety,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Minimal but purposeful movement, avoiding fidgeting or excessive gestures, shows intention.—
Cheryl Robinson,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Cole, wearing a khaki jumpsuit, spent much of the hearing sitting quietly and attentively as the parties argued, occasionally adjusting his glasses or fidgeting slightly in his chair.—
Gary Grumbach,
NBC news,
30 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
The disease, which gets worse over time, starts with muscle twitching, slurred speech, or weakness in an arm or leg.—
Jason Pham,
StyleCaster,
20 Feb. 2026
-
After 10 weeks without food, Muraisi is experiencing involuntary muscular twitching and severe chest pains, according to Prisoners for Palestine, with her doctors warning of possible cardiovascular collapse.—
Kara Fox,
CNN Money,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Rather than tossing your wallet, phone, boarding pass, and other loose items into a security bin, keep them together inside a small belt bag.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Some gardeners have great success tossing orange peels around the garden to repel cats.—
Lee Wallender,
The Spruce,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Giddey stopped, the ball cradled in his palm, shouting while jerking his hand in the rough direction of his intended pass.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Video of the collision shows the train jerking from side-to-side.—
Sara Gregory,
AJC.com,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Packed with numerous squirm-worthy scenes and strong commentary on impossible beauty standards, this film is best watched when the clock strikes midnight.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Even the normally surefire element of a score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, with its blasts of dissonance pumping up the squirm factor, adds to the heavy-going effect of a movie that seems to go out of its way to be grating.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Spencer took out his phone and played a recording of his daughter telling the wiggling story.—
John Kenney,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Dakar captures their tractor turning over the earth and storks swooping down for wiggling worms to feed their young.—
Alissa Simon,
Variety,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But the mayor’s dramatic tale of his predecessor’s fiscal fiddling was designed with a clear political agenda in mind: both to underline the magnitude of the problem and to identify the villains responsible for this perfidy.—
Washington Post,
Washington Post,
29 Jan. 2026
-
As the options for facial fiddling have become more accessible, the face is increasingly regarded as an image to be perfected.—
Valerie Monroe,
Allure,
15 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Squirming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squirming. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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