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
Relevance
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
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
Luna, the family’s Labradoodle, waddled in and lapped water from the bowl.
—
Literary Hub,
12 May 2026
When not flapping their wings, the chicks waddle around the nest, finding shady spots and playing with sticks and their dad's tail, the nonprofit said.
—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for waddle
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
Luna, the family’s Labradoodle, waddled in and lapped water from the bowl.
—
Literary Hub,
12 May 2026
When not flapping their wings, the chicks waddle around the nest, finding shady spots and playing with sticks and their dad's tail, the nonprofit said.
—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for waddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waddle
Verb
-
Steely and deliberate songwriting that casually staggers down the line between rhythm and melody, laced with loose yet conscious jams.
-
To ensure Miami 305 can still meet the league's minimum roster requirements, the suspensions will be staggered.
Verb
-
As the carriage lurched forward, the teen’s mother fell from the vehicle, prompting Romanch Mahajan to jump out in an effort to help her, The Times reported.
-
As the opening ceremony began with a flurry of speeches, the bus carrying Team Zambia lurched to a stop by the side of the road in southern Zimbabwe, 200 miles away.
Verb
-
Father Joseph Balikuddembe, a young priest, weaves down the aisle for communion, depositing wafers on the nuns' lips.
-
For once the story seems less about progress in the nuts and bolts of how the cars weave their way around road hazards.
Verb
-
In an accompanying cartoon, Spark is caricatured as a sulking giant, tottering above the Tuscan countryside in a pair of high heels.
-
Among them a City boy wearing three Fit-Bit-type devices, two beautiful Middle Eastern sisters, an outrageously pompous elderly American (sorry; eavesdropping), and several Imelda Marcos lookalikes, tottering out of the treatment rooms with, somehow, their elaborate hairstyles still intact.
Verb
-
The company has since shuffled several leaders, including naming a new human resources chief and the company’s first chief digital officer.
-
The assistant shuffled to one side and the scene reset.
Cite this Entry
“Waddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waddle. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
