as in flaps
a quick jerky movement from side to side or up and down
a quick waggle of her head to indicate "no"
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in flicks
to move from side to side or up and down with quick jerky motions
the rabbit waggled its ears and hopped away
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waggles
Verb
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The structure flaps its wings when powered by electricity.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Apr. 2026 -
View gallery - 7 images A wooden dragon sculpture that gently flaps its wings has become a crowd-funding hit, but after seeing the traditional handcrafted work that's been put into every single model, making each one unique, the value of such a piece becomes strikingly clear.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But following elite competition is nearly impossible, with subtle flicks and jabs practically invisible to the naked eye—and competitors hidden behind masks.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
25 Apr. 2026
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Why aren't there more flicks where the entire premise involves someone trying to escape the seemingly inescapable?—
Sergio Pereira,
Space.com,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Yet the gas tail still wags the dog.—
David Frykman,
Fortune,
25 Mar. 2026
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When a dog repeatedly wags and whips its tail against hard surfaces, the tip can split open, bruise or break.—
Miriam Fauzia,
Dallas Morning News,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Persistent muscle twitches Everyone’s muscles twitch from time to time, usually at various locations.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
15 Jan. 2026
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Some devices, for example, track eye movements or other small muscle twitches to let users select words from a screen.—
Emma R. Hasson,
Scientific American,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Anything less, though, swings the door open for Spurs to clinch survival at Stamford Bridge.—
Philip Buckingham,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
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When Kenobi surrenders and Vader swings his blade through Kenobi’s chest, Kenobi disappears.—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
4 May 2026
Verb
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The action switches between Mission Control and the lunar surface as the race against time builds.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
7 May 2026
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This 2-gallon watering can pulls double duty with a removable stainless steel shower head that switches between a gentle sprinkle for delicate plants and a steady stream for thirstier ones.—
Jill Layton,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Her head bobs gently, then sharply tilts at specific moments, particularly when certain words cut through the stream of conversation.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
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Just after lunchtime on a Saturday in November, a sea of purple braids bobs in unison, barely clearing the tops of the movie-theater seats behind them.—
Eliza Berman,
Time,
9 Dec. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Waggles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waggles. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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