as in lurched
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
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Recent Examples of waddled
When temperatures dropped below 30 degrees this month, the penguins waddled to warmth by going to their indoor enclosure.
—
Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 31 Jan. 2026
Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 31 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waddled
Verb
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The entire tech industry lurched into motion.—
MacKenzie Sigalos,
CNBC,
10 Jan. 2026
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The relentless Chacon lurched outside after her just as his car door opened and out popped their 6-year-old son, begging his dad to stop.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Layoffs will be staggered through the site’s closure on April 29.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
26 Jan. 2026
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The pools are staggered across levels (some adults-only), and there are connecting rooms and kid-friendly food.—
Jonnie Bayfield,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Lock mode proved invaluable on loose climbs, Hill Descent took the stress out of steep drop-offs, and Auto seamlessly shuffled between two- and four-wheel drive as conditions changed.—
Fergus Scholes,
TheWeek,
30 Jan. 2026
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Key Background The ranks of the world’s wealthiest people have shuffled in recent months.—
Ty Roush,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Waddled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waddled. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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