wriggle

1
as in to squirm
to make jerky or restless movements a toddler wriggling in his seat all throughout the church service

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2
as in to crawl
to move slowly with the body close to the ground a worm slowly wriggled across the sidewalk

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3
as in to worm
to introduce in a gradual, secret, or clever way within a month of his arrival, this social upstart had wriggled himself into the family's good graces

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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 wriggle For the Creepers’ wriggling insides, the team looked at underwater sea creatures, squid and even the deep sea variants. Abigail Lee, Variety, 17 Mar. 2025 In the depths of the north Pacific, long wriggling creatures were caught up in the trawl of a research vessel off the coast of Russia. Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 12 Feb. 2025 Despite her best efforts, 4-year-old Dewey eventually succeeded in wriggling his way over to the sleeping man, enthusiastically licking him awake. Dan Perry, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025 The video shows the sea creatures on the rocky surface, some wriggling along and others appearing lifeless. Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 12 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wriggle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wriggle
Verb
  • The cardinals are sworn to secrecy, though a few details have inevitably squirmed outside through the chapel walls over the years.
    Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2025
  • Its marketing releases are their own events in and of themselves, and Take-Two probably does not care at all about making its competitors squirm by not offering a specific release date (meant to be this fall).
    Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • When the window broke, the bear crawled out safely and returned to the woods.
    Shyla Watson, People.com, 10 May 2025
  • Inspectors saw one rat crawling from the top equipment shelf in an unapproved back dry storage area onto the roof, and another rat on an electrical line behind a two-door household freezer/refrigerator in the same dry storage area.
    Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado, Sacbee.com, 9 May 2025
Verb
  • The pair share a complicated relationship from the early episodes of Season 1, where Sauron, disguised as a helpless traveler, wormed his way into her heart and good graces.
    Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 8 May 2025
  • This process has been a bit of a slog, with Google's models improving slowly while simultaneously worming their way into many beloved products.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 2 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • If their tail starts twitching or their ears are flattened, then they may be overstimulated, which can lead to aggression.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Real Estate As Ballast Against Market Turbulence Why does Manhattan real estate hold up while other assets twitch?
    Spencer Elliott, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • However, a new poll shows his approval rating among this demographic may be creeping up again.
    Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 May 2025
  • In the bottom of the third inning, Báez was creeping off third when Red Sox catcher Carlos Narváez received a pitch, then popped and fired toward the bag.
    Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 14 May 2025
Verb
  • On Tuesday, Leo sneaked into the headquarters of his Augustinian order right off St. Peter’s Square.
    Mitra Taj, New York Times, 17 May 2025
  • For her first single after that triumph to only just sneak onto the Country Airplay ranking — and in last place — indicates a substantial and sustained promotional push behind the scenes.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
Verb
  • But, during his walk to first, Williams tossed his bat aside and nodded his head.
    Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 11 May 2025
  • The tornado tossed a tree through the back windshield of Bernstein’s blue Chevrolet Cavalier but spared most other cars parked on the street.
    Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 10 May 2025
Verb
  • Weber’s Little Donut Shop The line snaking around the block at 5 a.m. is a good indication Weber’s Little Donut Shop is a must-visit.
    Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 6 May 2025
  • Even when the narrow road snaked over the steepest gradients in the final stretch his confidence never faltered.
    Nathaniel Parish Flannery, Forbes.com, 5 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Wriggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wriggle. Accessed 21 May. 2025.

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