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
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 waddled
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
Luna, the family’s Labradoodle, waddled in and lapped water from the bowl.
—Literary Hub, 12 May 2026
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
Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 May 2026
Luna, the family’s Labradoodle, waddled in and lapped water from the bowl.
—Literary Hub, 12 May 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waddled
Verb
-
As Aden Kassaye and her mother got out to inspect the damage, Beas Solorio reportedly lurched the BMW forward, making contact with Ayalew’s torso, prompting Ayalew to slam her hands on the BMW’s hood to brace herself and yell at the driver.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
30 May 2026
-
So between those two things, the balance of gerrymanders has lurched pretty abruptly toward the right.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Employers are encouraged to support remote work, staggered shifts, and flexible hours.—
Doug Myers,
CBS News,
3 June 2026
-
The lone survivor of the half-hour killing spree, critically injured 49-year-old David Hernandez, staggered to a nearby street where police officers were trying to revive another Santos victim.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
While many of the brand’s lifestyle models are frequently shuffled in and out of production, the 9060 has held on as a staple of the brand’s lineup nearly four years after its retail debut.—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
28 May 2026
-
He then was shuffled between immigration centers in California, Arizona and Louisiana — before landing in Equatorial Guinea almost six months ago.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
On the floor, waist-high piles of books tottered like miniature leaning towers of Pisa.—
The Christian Science Monitor,
Christian Science Monitor,
12 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Waddled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waddled. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
