as in flapping
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of waggling
When LaBeija, as Gus the Theatre Cat, finally strolled onstage to revisit his glory days, waggling his long, polished claws, a younger Gus (Jonathan Burke) appeared, like a mirror dancing toward him.
—
Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 16 Apr. 2026
And thanks to social media videos of their head-tilting, leg waggling antics, these web-slingers are in high demand.
—Alina Hartounian, NPR, 29 Sep. 2025
Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 16 Apr. 2026
And thanks to social media videos of their head-tilting, leg waggling antics, these web-slingers are in high demand.
—Alina Hartounian, NPR, 29 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waggling
Verb
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The setting is Scotland — very exotic to Danes back in the 19th century (not to mention great for showing off a male dancer’s petit batterie beneath a flapping kilt).—
Rachel Howard,
San Francisco Chronicle,
11 Apr. 2026
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Yes, literally like a bird flapping its wings.—
Alex Kirshner,
New York Times,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Maza drew in Hamburg players before flicking the ball on for Kofane, who lashed it into the top-left corner.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Mar. 2026
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The name Dekopin in Japanese refers to flicking someone on the forehead with a finger, typically as a lighthearted punishment or joke.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Jake is wagging his tail and headed toward the door.—
Laura Trujillo,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
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The video footage Koch shared on Instagram captures every tail-wagging second of the homecoming.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Curry’s body began convulsing and twitching with increasing severity, consistent with him sustaining a traumatic brain injury from being punched in the face, documents state.—
Deborah Laverty,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
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Afternoon Ben Thanh Market is Hồ Chí Minh’s biggest market – a vast maze of 1,500 stalls selling everything from still-twitching fish to electronics and souvenirs.—
Tamara Hinson,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In a video posted by TikTok user @livingmyloylife, which was later stitched by the official Carnival Cruise account, an orange rescue boat is seen bobbing through choppy waters to meet the sailboat.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
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Despite not being the tallest goalie, Hicks does an exceptional job of working to see through traffic, bobbing and weaving to see shot releases without sacrificing angles.—
Scott Wheeler,
New York Times,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The area was gridlocked with traffic, with people coming back to check on their homes and Hezbollah supporters zooming on scooters, waving the group’s flag.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
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The suspect drove through several freeways while waving at officers before entering the 91 Freeway in the Downey-Norwalk area to make his way to LA County.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Illinois freshman then spun to his left and hopped back behind the 3-point line, swishing his second 3-pointer of the night.—
Colleen Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
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In the fourth quarter of the Lakers’ blowout win against Sacramento, James bounced off the balls of his feet down the court with his unmistakable bow-legged gait after swishing a 3.—
Dan Woike,
New York Times,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Mulleady said that her floral shop is trying to contain costs by switching import vendors, ordering bulk whenever possible and optimizing delivery routes.—
Pat Maio,
Oc Register,
17 Apr. 2026
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The Clinton School District closed both schools Thursday for cleanup and safety assessments, switching students to remote learning.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Waggling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waggling. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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