Thesaurus results for WADDLE

waddle

verb

ˈwä-dᵊl

Definition of waddle

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 The creature, smaller than a house cat and uniquely round, appeared in social media users’ posts waddling across lawns, fences, and cables around the city. — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 28 Aug. 2026 The eagles fuss obsessively with their habitat, waddling around on their huge, scaly reptilian feet, moving sticks to and fro with their bony beaks. — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2026 Yet one place that Merlin is allowed is inside Mexican leader Claudia Sheinbaum’s presidential palace, waddling onto stage on Monday morning for her daily briefing. — Jack Lang, New York Times, 26 June 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for waddle

Recent Examples of Synonyms for waddle

Verb

Spoelstra staggered Adebayo and Antetokounmpo’s minutes with these bench lineups.

— Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026
However, data from Agence France Tresor shows that the average maturity of French debt stands at roughly 8 years and 158 days, with debt redemptions relatively well staggered.

— , CNBC, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of stagger

Verb

After a handful of supremely mellow releases that blended lurching ’90s breakbeats with wintry, Mazzy Star-like songwriting, their third album dives into a vat of mercurial distortion and slippery, all-consuming bass.

— Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 27 Oct. 2026
Irvine, who was commuting home from his job as a technician in a dark blue Volkswagen hatchback, came to an abrupt stop in free-flowing traffic, lurching to the far-right lane.

— Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of lurch

Verb

Eller took a long pass from Aaron Ekblad just inside the blue line, weaved down the right side and ripped a wrist shot from the circle past Chicago goaltender Spencer Knight.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2026
The Chiefs had no answer for Smith-Njigba, who bobbed and weaved his way through the defense for nine catches, 150 yards and a touchdown.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 25 Oct. 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

Browse Nearby Words

waddings

waddle

waddled

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Waddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waddle. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of waddle

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

wraith

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes