squirms 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of squirm
as in fidgets
to make jerky or restless movements the toddler squirmed the whole time we were in the waiting room

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

squirms

2 of 2

noun

plural of squirm
as in locomotions

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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 squirms
Verb
In it, Trofimova is speaking English as the baby squirms in her lap. — Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2026 The 420 Sport jostles and squirms on these surfaces at low speeds, but the payoff is unfiltered, no-nonsense feedback. — Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 22 July 2026 When Brian and Murtagh report that Dougal offended the Grants and Colum had to promise Ellen’s hand to appease the situation, Lord Lovat squirms. — Lincee Ray Published, EW.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squirms
  1. fidgets
  2. dislocations
  3. tosses
  4. motions
  5. twitches
  6. jerks
  7. wiggles
  8. writhes
Verb
  • The man fidgets, shifts around in his seat and fixates on Zarutska before pulling out a small knife and striking her multiple times around her neck.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 8 Sep. 2025
Definition of fidgets
Noun
  • Prikryl’s early dislocations made language feel as fungible to her as national identity.
    — Langdon Hammer, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Only because the profound dislocations of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries had obscured millennia of ordinary building practice.
    — Julian Rose, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of dislocations
Verb
  • Fisher collects paint swatches, cuts them up, and tosses them into a basket so people can draw one before heading out.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 20 Oct. 2026
  • A student tosses a metal barrier during a protest at Strasbourg University in eastern France on Friday.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of tosses
Noun
  • Slowly roll the neck in each direction, then place fingers on the center of the chest and make circular motions with the elbows to open the chest and shoulders.
    — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Many of the case dismissals granted motions to dismiss filed by Elias Law Group on behalf of the intervenor-defendants.
    — Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of motions
Verb
  • Persistent muscle twitches Everyone’s muscles twitch from time to time, usually at various locations.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 15 Jan. 2026
  • Some devices, for example, track eye movements or other small muscle twitches to let users select words from a screen.
    — Emma R. Hasson, Scientific American, 14 Aug. 2025
Definition of twitches
Verb
  • In a viral video of the aftermath, the robot jerks back and forth to shake the glass off, showering yet more dangerous shards onto the sidewalk.
    — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Ross’s video does not show if the SUV made contact with him, as the camera angle jerks up to the sky.
    — Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026
Definition of jerks
Verb
  • The case feels sturdy enough, but the dial’s attachment wiggles enough to feel flimsy.
    — Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Buttermilk the cow is an interactive toy that sings, wiggles its ears, and teaches little ones animal sounds.
    — Anja Webb, Parents, 28 Nov. 2025
Definition of wiggles
Verb
  • The cobra seems angry and writhes and attacks, and the handler holds the snake at bay, looking like a man who has made poor lifestyle choices and therefore deserves whatever is coming courtesy of his snake pal.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Reid writhes in front of Zaman, sticking out his tongue in one take, running his hand down his body in another, all while a gigantic technocrane zooms overhead.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 2 June 2026
Definition of writhes

Browse Nearby Words

squirming
squirms
squirmy
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Squirms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squirms. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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