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 big polar bear lurched forward, hitting top speed in two strides.—
Scott Haugen,
Outdoor Life,
4 Feb. 2026
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As Matt Woosnam reflected recently, the Premier League’s feel-good story has lurched into night terrors.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Here, the blade tips are staggered so that a following rotor blade does not intersect the vortex generated by the one ahead of it, reducing noise and vibration.—
David Szondy
February 24,
New Atlas,
24 Feb. 2026
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Trotsky staggered out of the study in the other direction.—
Josh Ireland,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Teenage athletes, whose bodies are pushed to the breaking point and then shuffled out of the sport when new talent arises, bear the brunt of the pressure.—
Rachel Hale,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026
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That means there aren’t going to be just a few chairs shuffled around; my suspicion is much of the roster likely will be overhauled in the next few years.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Waddled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waddled. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
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