SQUIRMY Synonyms: 40 Similar and Opposite Words

squirmy

adjective

Definition of squirmy

as in wiggly

making jerky or restless movements a squirmy baby

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 squirmy Another personal fear Chase infused into the script was his dislike of dentists, which leads to several squirmy big-screen moments. — William Earl, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026 The screwworm is actually a parasitic fly named for its larvae, which look like squirmy worms. — Alice Park, Time, 2 July 2026 Simply set out bowls of coffee grounds among your outdoor seating areas to prevent ants, mosquitoes, fruit flies, and squirmy critters from crashing your barbecue. — Joey Skladany, Southern Living, 17 June 2026 Fjord is a squirmy drama in which Stan and Renate Reinsve play a married couple who move with their five children from Romania to Norway to be closer to Reinsve’s mother, only to draw the interest of child protective services when a teacher at school spots bruises on one of the kids. — Rachel Handler, Vulture, 26 May 2026 With that disclosure out in the open, the rest of the squirmy attendees subtly sank deeper into their seats, accepting Steinem’s orbit as a safe space. — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 22 Apr. 2026 One of them is a squirmy, intensely relatable dark comedy about the escalating horrors of planning a wedding. — Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026 Adding to the action is a colorful, squirmy worm that will get kids laughing and moving. — Pamela Brill, Parents, 2 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for squirmy

Adjective

Black Hills South Dakota Most Midwesterners have to commit at least a week of vacation time to reaching and exploring western South Dakota’s squiggly, wiggly, scenic-drive paradise.

— Hannah Agran, Midwest Living, 12 Sep. 2026
Other vipers are known to flick their tails, especially baby vipers with bright green or neon yellow tail tips that might appear like a wiggly worm to unsuspecting frogs.

— Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of wiggly

Adjective

Ludwig is the twitchy, neurotic, charming character that Mitchell was born to play.

— Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026
There’s also a twitchy paranoia at play, since Ethan and Ivy, as outsiders, inevitably spark a turf war as various warring factions try to figure out who is killing their men.

— Damon Wise, Deadline, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of twitchy

Adjective

Oglala Lakota runner Billy Mills was the first non-European to win Olympic gold in the 10-kilometer run with his upset, Olympic-record race at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo.

— ABC News, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026
After a strong performance in an upset win over Buffalo in Week 4, Maye and the Patriots are back on track.

— Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of upset

Adjective

Both players are wriggly, elusive dribblers.

— Luke Bosher, New York Times, 25 June 2026
Medieval Christians looked at the very same phenomenon and imagined it as a reflection of divine will, the transformation of a wriggly worm into a flying jewel an earthly reminder of the transfiguration of Jesus to Christ.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Nov. 2025

Definition of wriggly

Adjective

Any agency whose main product is activity rather than thinking should be very nervous right now; frankly, some of them should have been nervous years ago.

— Angelica Kopec, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Consumers in the country, nervous about the shaky economy, are loading up on gold jewelry, bars and coins.

— Anniek Bao, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of nervous

Adjective

There’s also reassuring initial bite at the top of the travel, yet the setup doesn’t feel grabby or overly anxious in everyday driving situations.

— Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026
Gong’s collection followed the emotional arc of unrequited love, from the first spark and the anxious wait to the social-media sleuthing, a date, and the sudden disappearance that follows.

— Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026