as in staggers
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of waddles
One solitary penguin rejects the breeding and feeding grounds of his fellow birds, and waddles toward icy mountains in the distance, undoubtedly to its death.
—
Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Grande then waddles out in the over-the-top ensemble, only to be met by Grombol, who breaks the bad news that the Christmas tree is no longer available to view.
—Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 17 Dec. 2025
Eventually, the group waddles the alligator over to a waiting pickup truck and manages to lift the reptile even higher to push it into the bed of the truck.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 5 Dec. 2025
When Paddington first waddles on stage during the new West End musical based on the beloved bear, the audience at the Savoy Theatre can hardly contain their excitement.
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 30 Nov. 2025
Ursula waddles back into the ocean, knowing full well that sometimes girl code is the harshest weapon of all.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 27 Nov. 2025
Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Grande then waddles out in the over-the-top ensemble, only to be met by Grombol, who breaks the bad news that the Christmas tree is no longer available to view.
—Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 17 Dec. 2025
Eventually, the group waddles the alligator over to a waiting pickup truck and manages to lift the reptile even higher to push it into the bed of the truck.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 5 Dec. 2025
When Paddington first waddles on stage during the new West End musical based on the beloved bear, the audience at the Savoy Theatre can hardly contain their excitement.
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 30 Nov. 2025
Ursula waddles back into the ocean, knowing full well that sometimes girl code is the harshest weapon of all.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 27 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waddles
Verb
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Like many Florida school districts, OCPS staggers start times to most efficiently use its school buses and drivers.—
Steven Walker,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 Mar. 2026
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The first 10 minutes of the film are set in Norms, where a grungy man staggers in with a bomb, ranting about artificial intelligence.—
Fielding Buck,
Daily News,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Republicans’ hopes of holding on to their slim majorities in the House and Senate may well hinge on the cost at the pump as the war against Iran lurches into its second week.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
10 Mar. 2026
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But Wembanyama is on the short list of MVP favorites as the league lurches toward the playoffs, a list that includes former NBA champions Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of OKC, Denver’s Nikola Jokic along with Detroit’s Cade Cunningham and Los Angeles’ Luka Doncic.—
Cedric Golden,
Austin American Statesman,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Tristan returns home and greets James while Siegfried shuffles the woman out the window.—
Alice Burton,
Vulture,
12 Jan. 2026
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That is not unique — Major League Baseball’s offseason shuffles along at a deliberate pace, just as the Dodgers historically have liked.—
Katie Woo,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Lockwood takes different noises—from volcanic activity in Hawaii to spring peepers near the Mississippi River, crows around Essex, and hydroacoustic signals in the Tasman Sea—and weaves a tapestry in constant flux.—
Joshua Minsoo Kim,
Pitchfork,
28 Apr. 2026
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Dolan dissects his estrangement from his mother after forty years of attempts at peace, and weaves in research and reportage about child abuse and trauma.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Waddles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waddles. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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