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 slot formerly occupied by a performance from the Commodores will now be filled with the sound of a lone Gadsden flag flapping on its pole.—
Alexandra Petri,
The Atlantic,
3 June 2026
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The fathers, faces ruddy, prayed in Latin for her soul, black robes flapping in the wind.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 May 2026
Verb
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Kamara found it a couple of hours before kick-off when flicking through a copy of the matchday programme.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
23 May 2026
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The dragons stalk the island, flicking their huge tongues in hopes of picking up the scent of a deer, wild boar, or water buffalo — the latter two species introduced by humans — or rodents and other smaller reptiles, including baby Komodo dragons.—
Craig Stanford,
Big Think,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Next to our two enormous dogs, this new addition with short legs and a tail that never stopped wagging was the true cosmic newcomer.—
Steven Rowley,
PEOPLE,
3 June 2026
-
Carousel of Progress’ animatronic family — headed by John and Sarah — will remain, including Uncle Orville and Rover, the dog with the ever-wagging tail.—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Here, American fighter planes, cargo ships and Japanese freighters have spent decades transforming into thriving artificial reefs, draped in coral and surrounded by twitching clouds of tropical fish.—
Dea Jusufi,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2026
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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
Verb
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While the view from my balcony, overlooking yachts bobbing in the marina and Table Mountain further beyond, was lovely, nothing compares to the two-bedroom Cape Grace suite, with its panoramic perch over the mountain and harbor.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
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Many of the jurors were seemingly shaken by Gavin’s appearance in the film; others were seen bobbing their heads and dancing in their seats during sections featuring Jackson's music.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Or maybe the big beach at Laguna after waving to The Greeter, with an hour during the late afternoon to browse the Pottery Shack with Mom.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
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Her mother, Tamara Reed-Holman — who qualified for state in four events for Decatur McArthur in 1990 and ran for Illinois State — was in the crowd at O’Brien Field in Charleston waving back.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2026
Verb
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In other words, avoid swishing seltzers in your mouth, drinking a lot of them or even sipping one throughout the day.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 May 2026
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The Oregon Zoo’s official TikTok account posted footage of a bear swishing around in a tub filled with ice and water, rolling on his back and kicking his feet before shaking water off.—
Samantha Agate,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Thomas and Immenschuh believe in continuously switching up the merchandise so returning customers always have something new to find and to attract new shoppers.—
Noelle Alviz-Gransee,
Kansas City Star,
30 May 2026
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Lower-wage workers still see the biggest gains with switching jobs, even though pay increases for Gen Z hoppers have declined by 20% since Q1 2022.—
Jacqueline Munis,
Fortune,
30 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Waggling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waggling. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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