waddle

verb

ˈwä-dᵊl How to pronounce waddle (audio)
Definition of waddlenext
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

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 waddle In less than two weeks, Merlín went from waddling through the streets of Mexico City during Mexico's opening victory to visiting the presidential palace. — ABC News, 24 June 2026 Once considered delightfully kitschy relics of suburban Americana, porch geese are waddling their way back into the spotlight. — Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 29 May 2026 Partway up the trail, three penguins waddled past, entirely unbothered by the humans who stepped aside for them, and then belly-slid into the freezing water. — Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 May 2026 The only telltale sign of what lies below the surface is a metal set of stairs, leading into the icy blue channel, and small groups of divers and snorkelers waddling across the gravel paths in full gear. — Carinne Geil Botta, Travel + Leisure, 16 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for waddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waddle
  1. stagger
  2. lurch
  3. weave
  4. totter
  5. shuffle
Verb
  • Work has already begun on various projects, which are being staggered to avoid closing the museum completely.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The hole gently bends from right to left, with fairway bunkers staggered along both sides.
    — Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of stagger
Verb
  • Maresca, though, does not appear to have much taste for the Premier League’s lurch towards balls into the box.
    — Sam Lee, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The United States, which had been lurching toward entry in the Second World War, was suddenly and inescapably thrust into global conflict.
    — Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of lurch
Verb
  • Video from the incident showed the car smashing into vehicles while weaving through traffic as it was followed by several troopers heading toward Milton.
    — Mike Toole, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The craftsmanship continues upstairs, where jamdani fabrics and wallpapers in the primary bedroom celebrate the ancient Bengal art of weaving fine diaphanous textiles, embodying the showroom’s dedication to materiality, artistry, and the human hand.
    — AD PRO, Architectural Digest, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of weave
Verb
  • Like a lot of us who tottered into consciousness in the second half of the 20th century, Les Claypool grew up with cartoons from the family television beaming into his retinas.
    — Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Outside, a gull tottered to the window and tapped its beak against the glass.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 July 2026
Definition of totter
Verb
  • Because tokenized stocks exist alongside stablecoins and other digital assets on the same network, investors can move money between spending, saving, and investing without shuffling it across separate institutions.
    — Malana VanTyler, jsonline.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Lyman and her family stood to leave, and although none of them spoke, the sound of more than 30 mourners shuffling out of a quiet room was enough to halt the court proceedings for a moment.
    — Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of shuffle

Browse Nearby Words

waddings
waddle
waddled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Waddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waddle. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of waddle for Spanish Speakers

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