as in to stagger
to move forward while swaying from side to side
the duck waddled back into the water we watched the penguins waddle over the ice together
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of waddle
Then a mascot dressed as a packet of olives waddled past, breaking the spell.
—
Arietta Hallock, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 July 2025
Humanoid robots waddled, stumbled and occasionally face-planted their way through a 3-on-3 soccer tournament in Beijing on Saturday that looked more like the first day of little league than the rise of a robotic Lionel Messi.
—Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 29 June 2025
Built more like an elite defensive end than a traditional basketball player, Williamson waddled around between plays but was an undeniable force once the game began.
—Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 19 June 2025
If everything goes to plan at this point and Donald Trump doesn’t waddle in with a pardon, Judge Subramanian will miraculously be keeping his promise to the jurors to have the case concluded before the July 4 holiday.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for waddle
Arietta Hallock, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 July 2025
Humanoid robots waddled, stumbled and occasionally face-planted their way through a 3-on-3 soccer tournament in Beijing on Saturday that looked more like the first day of little league than the rise of a robotic Lionel Messi.
—Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 29 June 2025
Built more like an elite defensive end than a traditional basketball player, Williamson waddled around between plays but was an undeniable force once the game began.
—Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 19 June 2025
If everything goes to plan at this point and Donald Trump doesn’t waddle in with a pardon, Judge Subramanian will miraculously be keeping his promise to the jurors to have the case concluded before the July 4 holiday.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for waddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waddle
Verb
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But Cnet raises something else: in previous years, Apple has staggered the release dates of its products, even though the unveiling has happened on the same day.—
David Phelan,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
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However, there are several small kitchen appliances that use a lot of power and their use should be staggered whenever possible.—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Later in the drive, FSD lurched right – for no apparent reason – and tried to go down a steep driveway grade toward a locked gate.—
Brooke Crothers,
Forbes.com,
17 July 2025
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From the outside, the company has appeared to be lurching from one crisis to the next.—
Evan Clark,
Footwear News,
7 July 2025
Verb
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The last time might have been in a regional nightclub in the mid aughts, or weaving through a busy high street.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
16 Aug. 2025
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Now, with just a few months’ notice, staff are dismantling a 30-year program carefully woven into the city’s social safety net.—
Kate Armanini,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
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As Joe Biden tottered and fell (literally as well as metaphorically), more than a few pundits compared him to Lear, a man who was ruined by age, pride, and the flattery of sycophants.—
Tyler Austin Harper,
The Atlantic,
16 May 2025
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Dina Tomczak, the school’s athletic director, tottered into her office having barely slept.—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
Verb
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The coaching staff shuffled its depth chart, handing extra reps to players who had performed well over the previous nine practices and deserved a longer look.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
4 Aug. 2025
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From ones that incorporate fans to odes to classic binge-worthy TV, with the help of social media, everyone’s creative wheels are turning — and people are learning one new step after another, feet shuffling, turning, stepping with ease.—
Victoria Uwumarogie,
Essence,
4 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Waddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waddle. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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