squirming 1 of 2

noun

as in writhing

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squirming

2 of 2

verb

present participle of squirm
as in fidgeting
to make jerky or restless movements the toddler squirmed the whole time we were in the waiting room

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 squirming
Noun
Jost proceeded to read them — as usual squirming while doing it. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 21 Dec. 2025
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 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 The snakes continue squirming in his grasp, and one bites him. — Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 26 May 2026 The boy is screaming, squirming. — Kansas City Star, 22 May 2026 The veterans, of course, are terrific with one later episode set on a plane that finds Mulligan in top squirming form. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2026 Like him, Rue is squirming under Laurie’s thumb, anxious to get out. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Apr. 2026 There will be no squirming tonight. — Addie Citchens, New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squirming
  1. writhing
  2. fidgeting
  3. twitching
  4. tossing
  5. wriggling
  6. jerking
  7. squirm
  8. wiggling
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
Definition of writhing
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
Noun
  • Casting near banks and using a twitching technique can increase success during the hatch.
    — Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 14 May 2026
  • During this phase, octopuses display visible twitching along with rapid changes in skin color and texture, per NPR.
    — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2026
Definition of twitching
Verb
  • Philippine Coast Guard via AP Images of nighttime rescue efforts showed Coast Guard personnel tossing life jackets to survivors as the ferry burned in the background.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 10 Sep. 2026
  • But in Denver and New York, Lock struggled with interceptions, including tossing a league-high 15 during the 2020 season and five in 2024.
    — Andrew Destin, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of tossing
Noun
  • Barnard attended the ceremony with Soprano, Lola’s female stand-in and a convincing lookalike, who accepted the collar with considerable enthusiasm and even more considerable wriggling.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
Definition of wriggling
Verb
  • The production’s winking tone blunts some of the original’s tear-jerking climax, yet its intact happy ending offers a surprisingly comforting vision of survival in an age of constant crises.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Henry drove off and sped up to 45 mph before jerking the car.
    — Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of jerking
Noun
  • But the song is sweet and sincere without being twee, and just as in every scenario that could go either way, we are denied the comedic pressure valve that might release a little of the squirm.
    — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 7 July 2026
  • Working from his own screenplay, Cronin barrels over the gaping plot holes — a doctor might have some thoughts here — and gets to the good stuff with the family at home in squirm-inducing close quarters, a live-in demon resting in her bedroom.
    — Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
Definition of squirm
Verb
  • Cueto was known for hesitating while in his pitching motion, or wiggling on the mound.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Getting both aligned so the cover properly locked took some wiggling on my part.
    — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 9 July 2026
Definition of wiggling

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Cite this Entry

“Squirming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squirming. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

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